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Johannesburg - The world's top platinum producers and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) will hold separate meetings withthe CCMA this week to discuss a stoppage over wages, but no talks are scheduled between the companies and the union.
Amcu members downed tools over two weeks ago at Anglo American Platinum, Impala Platinum and Lonmin after wage talks failed, and the prospect of a resolution looks distant without the companies and union coming together.
The strike, which has hit over 40% of global output of the precious metal, is stoking tensions on the platinum belt and an Amcu shop steward was killed on Friday in a clash with police.
"We are meeting with the companies and Amcu separately this week," a CCMA spokesperson told Reuters on Monday.
It was unclear when it was meeting the union, but a spokesperson for the producers told Reuters the companies would meet the CCMA on Thursday.
The strike and the growing uncertainty over how to bring it to an end have undermined investor confidence in the country, at a time when the rand has traded near five-year lows.
The stoppages are costing the country an estimated $36m a day and are an unwelcome distraction for President Jacob Zuma and the ruling African National Congress three months ahead of general elections.
Amcu wants a more than doubling of basic pay to R12 500 a month, which companies say they can ill afford as they grapple with soaring costs and depressed global demand for the metal used for emissions-capping catalytic converters in vehicles.
The companies have offered wage hikes of up to 9% which they say are fair given an inflation rate of 5.4%.
Amcu members downed tools over two weeks ago at Anglo American Platinum, Impala Platinum and Lonmin after wage talks failed, and the prospect of a resolution looks distant without the companies and union coming together.
The strike, which has hit over 40% of global output of the precious metal, is stoking tensions on the platinum belt and an Amcu shop steward was killed on Friday in a clash with police.
"We are meeting with the companies and Amcu separately this week," a CCMA spokesperson told Reuters on Monday.
It was unclear when it was meeting the union, but a spokesperson for the producers told Reuters the companies would meet the CCMA on Thursday.
The strike and the growing uncertainty over how to bring it to an end have undermined investor confidence in the country, at a time when the rand has traded near five-year lows.
The stoppages are costing the country an estimated $36m a day and are an unwelcome distraction for President Jacob Zuma and the ruling African National Congress three months ahead of general elections.
Amcu wants a more than doubling of basic pay to R12 500 a month, which companies say they can ill afford as they grapple with soaring costs and depressed global demand for the metal used for emissions-capping catalytic converters in vehicles.
The companies have offered wage hikes of up to 9% which they say are fair given an inflation rate of 5.4%.
