[miningmx.com] — THE National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Tuesday said that Northam Platinum has made an improved wage offer, which it was taking to its members.
NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka, while unwilling to share the details of the improved offer, said talks were held with the company on Monday.
“These talks resulted in an improved offer,” he said.
Until now talks between the parties have remained deadlocked with the trade union demanding a 12% increase in pay while the company offered 8.5%.
Workers also demanding a living out allowance of R3 500 while the company was willing to go up to R1 700.
The strike, by more than 8 000 mineworkers at the platinum producer’s Zondereinde mine near Thabazimbi, is now in its fifth week.
The improved offer might, however, result in an end to the strike.
“The ball will be in the members’ court to decide on the basis of the new offer,” said Zwelitsha Tantsi, the NUM’s chief negotiator at Northam.
Northam has confirmed that it is losing 1 000 ounces of production a day. This means that by the end of Tuesday the company would have lost 20 000 ounces of production to the strike so far.
