ARM withdraws offer as Modikwa wage talks stall

[miningmx.com] – AFRICAN Rainbow Minerals (ARM) said its Modikwa
Platinum Mine, an operation is shares with Anglo Platinum, had withdrawn from a
negotiation process with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) whose members
are on a three-week protected strike.

The NUM has been disputing wages and conditions of employment at the mine with
Modikwa management for a number of months. ARM said the negotiations had not
produced any agreement culminating in a meeting held on April 3, when NUM rejected
the mine’s final offer.

Said ARM: “The [Modikwa] mine has thus withdrawn its final offer. NUM made other
demands that the Mine simply cannot afford”.

“The strike and the collective bargaining process have failed the parties. The Mine has
no option but to withdraw from the negotiation process,” it said. Striking employees
can return to work on their existing conditions of service if they choose, ARM said in
its statement.