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Johannesburg - Pay talks to end a strike at Northam Platinum [JSE:NHM] Zondereinde mine in Limpopo will resume on Tuesday, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said.
"The National Union of Mineworkers can now confirm it will meet Northam Platinum mine management tomorrow [Tuesday] after it had received an invitation from the company today [Monday]," said chief negotiator, Ecliff Tantsi.
"The company has since invited us to a meeting tomorrow at 9:00. We have accepted the invitation." The union earlier denied it had been invited to a meeting.
NUM members at the Zondereinde mine went on strike on Sunday, demanding an increase of R2 100 for core workers, such as rock drill operators, and R2 000 for non-core workers. The union further wanted the R2 200 living out allowance increased to R3 718.
"The company has responded with a meagre 6.5% for non-core and 7% for core workers," said Tantsi.
The union would not express its wage demands as a percentage.
"We reached a dispute, went to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and failed to find an amicable solution. We went further to propose another facilitator... but we still failed."
The company said all stoping and development-related activities were suspended on Sunday night, when workers did not report for duty.
Stoping involves extracting ore from the rock, leaving a cavity called a stope.
"All other services to keep the mine functional are continuing, including ventilation, pumping, and smelting operations," company spokesperson Memory Johnstone said on Monday.
