[miningmx.com] – HOPES have been kindled that an wage agreement for employees at the Zondereinde mine can be reached between Northam Platinum and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
This follows a meeting on January 13 at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) which prompted the union to call a mass meeting for January 15. It is thought it will take Northam’s latest offer to members.
Neither side is commenting publicly on the latest round of talks, but it’s thought that Northam is encouraged by recent developments. It has offered a percentage increase of between 8% and 9.5% – as before – but has added certain conditions apply that NUM has to test with members. This may relate to a three-year wage deal whereas the NUM was previously in opposition to a multi-year agreement.
“The fact of the matter is that no-one can afford for this strike to continue for much longer,” a market source close to Northam Platinum told Miningmx. Northam said earlier this month that up to R100m had been lost in worker wages, and R500m in lost revenue for Northam during the period of the strike so far.
“The outcomes of the CCMA meeting today are embargoed until the NUM meet its members on Wednesday,” said NUM chief negotiator at Northam Platinum, Ecliff Tantsi in a statement last night.
The turmoil for South Africa’s platinum industry is far from over, however, following reports that the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (AMCU) had voted to strike at Impala Platinum (Implats).
Joseph Mathunjwa, president of the AMCU, convened a meeting at Implats yesterday in which he dealt with issues regarding rumours allegedly distributed by the NUM that the AMCU was losing members and its leaders were receiving undeclared salary increases.
He then called for a vote by show of hands on whether a strike should be called at the Implats operations.
“The AMCU has already done this at Implats last year so it was just a reconfirmation of an earlier position,” said Johan Theron, spokesperson for Implats. He had not received any strike notices.
“I don’t expect to until February. The AMCU will probably allow workers to draw a salary before striking as they are just coming back to work from holidays and school fees have to be paid,” he said.
AMCU has called a press conference for later this week and will be meeting at Lonmin on Thursday (January 16) and at the premises of Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) on Saturday (January 18) to gauge member support at those companies.
“It’s likely that the AMCU will strike all at once at Lonmin, Implats and Amplats. That’s my reading of the situation,” Theron said.
