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Marikana - The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) plans to meet this week with platinum producers to inform them in person of workers rejecting the latest pay offer, said leader Joseph Mathunjwa.
"The members have rejected the offer from the employer," Mathunjwa told reporters after addressing a rally of workers near the Marikana mine of Lonmin: [JSE:LON].
Amcu held similar rallies in recent days at Anglo Platinum (Amplats) [JSE:AMS] and Impala Platinum (Implats) [JSE:IMP].
Marathon wage talks collapsed last week, dashing hopes for an imminent end to South Africa's longest and most costly mining strike, which has hit 40% of global platinum production and threatens growth in Africa's most advanced economy.
The companies also took their offer directly to the workers via cellphone text messages and radio and newspaper spots in a bid to circumvent Amcu's leadership, setting the stage for a grinding showdown between capital and labour.
Initially Amcu demanded an immediate doubling of the basic wage - net salary before allowances such as housing - for entry-level workers to R12 500 ($1 200) a month.
The union has since said it would accept annual increases that would reach this goal in three or four years' time.
The producers' latest offer, made last Thursday, was for wage rises of up to 10% and other increases that would take the minimum pay package - the basic wage including the allowances - to R12 500 a month by July 2017.
