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"Though we have not reached an agreement with labour, there are talks...to reach a settlement that will suit all parties," RMI chief executive Jakkie Olivier said.
He was responding to claims by the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) that employers were unnecessarily delaying the settlement with striking petrol attendants and vehicle industry workers from the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa).
"Each attempt has...ended in failure because of the employers' obstructive and delaying tactics," said Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven in a statement.
He said employers were unwilling to resume talks until September 25, because of Heritage Day.
"I'm surprised to hear those comments. There have been no delaying tactics....To resume talks then [September 25] was a joint decision, but like I said, there will be talks in between...to reach a solution speedily," Olivier said.
Wage talks between Numsa and employers deadlocked on Friday. The RMI said there was "very little" progress during negotiations.
Craven called on the Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant to convene an urgent meeting with unions and employers to resolve the dispute.
He warned that if a settlement was not reached soon, there would be calls to expand the strike action.
The strike began on September 9 with the Numsa demanding a double digit percentage increase.
They want a R30 an hour across the board increase by 2016 on actual rates of pay in all sectors and divisions for workers earning above R6 000 a month, among other demands.
The union recently rejected a revised wage offer of 7.5%.
