Johannesburg - Cosatu in the Northern Cape and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) have bemoaned the conduct of Kumba Iron Ore [JSE:KIO] management at Kathu mine in the province.
"The company keeps on shifting the goalposts as we attempt to bring the current unprotected strike to an end," they said in a joint statement on Thursday.
Union representatives met management on Tuesday in an attempt to resolve the strike.
"We adjourned the meeting when we realised that they did not have a mandate to strike an agreement," they said.
But at a follow-up meeting, Kumba representatives told the unions they were not prepared to talk to NUM as they did not want outsiders.
However, an independent mediator, private security guards and police had already become involved.
"Our members are not prepared to continue with the negotiations without the NUM and the Congress of SA Trade Unions and therefore the negotiations have been stalled," said the unions.
They called on Kumba's head office to engage with them in order to resolve the strike.
Kumba spokesperson Gert Schoeman said he had received the statement and would respond later in the day.
"I have to send it to the negotiating team and ask them for comment," he said.