Three Xstrata mines on strike

Johannesburg - Workers at three of Xstrata's chrome mines in Limpopo have embarked on an unprotected strike, the company said on Thursday.

"The strike started at the Helena mine in Steelpoort, in Limpopo, on Tuesday," said spokesperson Christopher Tsatsawane.

He said the strike started after an employee claimed a shift supervisor had assaulted him. The company started an investigation.

"Unfortunately, before the grievance procedure could be completed, employees decided to go on strike, and subsequently, employees have been embarking on illegal industrial action."

He said 200 workers had since been dismissed.

"This was after three ultimatums had been sent to them," Tsatsawane said.

He said the first two were to inform workers they should return to work, and the third was a notification of their dismissal. Workers had until Saturday to appeal.

"These are members of Amcu [Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union] and we have Amcu members at other mines in the same vicinity. They went to mobilise members at those mines."

Tsatsawane said the strikes at the adjacent Magareng and Thorncliffe mines started on Wednesday. Workers had demonstrated outside the mines and demanded that the shift supervisor be dismissed.

"Unfortunately, we cannot do it as the grievance procedure has not been concluded. Obviously, in a situation like this you would need both parties there."

He could not confirm the number of workers on strike, and said the strike had not been violent so far.

"We have got the police on site and there are security personnel monitoring the situation."

He said the company had met the union's local leadership and planned to meet its national leadership.

"We are engaging the union to see how we can reach an amicable solution or common ground on this," Tsatsawane said.

Amcu national treasurer Jimmy Gama said the unions' national and regional leadership would meet Xstrata management in Witbank at 10:00 on Friday.

He confirmed workers were striking because they wanted the shift supervisor dismissed, and because they believed management's disciplinary processes were unfair.

Workers felt that while they were harshly punished for misconduct, the same punishment did not apply to their superiors.

"We will try and resolve this matter [in the meeting] so that workers will go back work," said Gama.