[miningmx.com] – SOUTH Africa’s three largest platinum producers rejected a revised demand from the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (AMCU) saying it remained unaffordable.
AMCU adjusted its demand for a R12,500 per month basic salary by asking it be reached over three years. It is the first real concession made by AMCU amid a strike in the platinum sector that is approaching its sixth week.
However, Anglo American Platinum, Lonmin and Impala Platinum said in a statement last night that the revised demand was an annual increase of between 30% and 40% and “remains unaffordable”.
“Our proposed offer, tabled on January 29 and which starts with a 9% increase at the lowest level, is already significantly above the inflation rate,” they said.
“The proposed increase would take the current monthly minimum wage of between R5,000 and R5,700 to between R6,300 and R7,200 by 2015 excluding benefits and bonuses. This would make the minimum wage higher than similar labour-intensive sectors within the economy.
“Importantly, the proposed increases will take the minimum guaranteed pay of entry-level underground employees to between R9,390 and R10,250 in the first year to between R10,900 and R11,900 in the third year. Most other labour intensive parts of the economy pay a basic minimum wage only”.
