[miningmx.com] – A REPORT by Sapa says Lonmin has proposed paying
striking workers a one-off R1,500 bonus in order to get them back to work. Citing Eric
Gcilitshana, a negotiator for the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Sapa says the
offer closes on Wednesday, however.
Gcilitshana said that workers were considering the offer which seems to underpin
other reports on the wires that there’s been a thawing in positions from both
employers and employees.
According to a Reuters report, published at 9am, strikers at Lonmin’s Marikana have
cut their basic wage demand to below R11,000 per month. This compares to the
R12,500 per month demand on which the strike has been premised.
However, this is still way above the 9% to 21% increase in wages that Lonmin is
reportedly offering. Citing Lonmin, Reuters said that at R12,500 per month, thousands
of jobs would be at risk. The basic pay for most underground workers is currently
around R5,400 per month.
A Lonmin official told Reuters that talks between the various parties had extended to
3am on Tuesday and were due to resume at 11:00am, Central Africa Time.
Meanwhile, Sapa cited the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry President, Chose
Choeu, as saying that miners that wanted to return to work should be allowed to do so
without fear of retribution.
“The majority of responsible workers who freely choose to return to work must be
protected against intimidation and violence,’ said Choeu in a statement.
Sacci said it supported the stance taken by President Jacob Zuma to clamp down on
“unacceptable’ violence in mining-related protests.
The word from Bench Marks Foundation Chairman, Bishop Jo Seoka, who is also
president of the SA Council of Churches, is that wage talks are progressing healthily.
“I’m very positive and hopeful,’ he told Sapa.
This was supported by Zolisa Bodlani, a striking workers’ leader who said, “Our talks
were difficult on Monday. We were engaged in talks until 1am’.
“We are going to report back to workers at the Wonderkop Stadium at 10am and
proceed to the negotiations,’ he told Sapa.
In contrast to the Reuters report, however, Bodlani denied that workers had tabled an
R11,000 demand at the negotiations. “I cannot tell you the figure we are still
negotiating,’ he said.
Speaking on radio station SAfm, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and
Arbitration (CCMA) director Nerine Kahn said the current time represented an
“incredible commitment’ from all parties to try to find a resolution. “We know that the
whole nation is watching,’ she said.
“We also would like everybody just to be a little bit patient, because it’s important in
the negotiations that you follow procedures and try and make sure you keep the
confidentiality… so people have the opportunity to report back to their constituency
and they can make decisions as opposed to hearing from the public domain.’
Kahn told Sapa that she was hopeful that an agreement would be reached soon and
said that there was “significant commitment’.
“Everybody in the room is trying to find each other. They are trying to find ways of
ending this impasse.
“We are always hopeful. Negotiations can take time. We think there will be a solution.
We hope,’ she added.
