Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - Northam platinum mine in Limpopo would suspend certain operations on Sunday night ahead of a planned strike by over 7 000 National Union of Mineworkers members, the platinum producer said.
"Given the strike planned for tonight, and the uncertainty with regard to how many employees will turn up for the night shift, management has resolved, for purposes of safety, not to allow employees who are involved with stoping and development activities underground tonight," it said.
Stoping is a mining process to extract ore.
Earlier, NUM chief negotiator Ecliff Tantsi said the strike would go ahead from 20:00, and would continue with workers not coming for Monday's day shift beginning around 05:00.
Tantsi said there had been "no new developments" since wage negotiations broke down during the week, and the strike notice was subsequently issued.
However, he said that he had phoned the mine's general manager, Danny Gonsalves, on Sunday morning.
"I indicated to him that we cannot lead by silence...In any war there will be time for parties to talk," said Tantsi.
"In the beginning of the war, to avoid casualties, it is wiser to find a solution".
Tantsi said the manager indicated he "understood me".
"I'm waiting for his call anytime."
Tantsi said the 7 000 NUM members represented about 80% of the workers at the mine.
The mine said on Sunday evening that another meeting was planned for Tuesday.
On Sunday night, the NUM said in a statement that it had not been consulted about this meeting.
"We want state categorically clear that ever since we served the company with a 48 hour notice nothing came out from the company for any meeting," Tantsi said.
He said that the strike began peacefully and not a single person went underground.
"...This is an early indication that the turn out in support of the strike will be 100% [on Monday]."
Earlier, speaking on behalf of the mine, Marion Brower, said the company had moved twice on its offers to miners, as well as offered facilitation.
Asked if further engagement between the employer and workers was on the cards, Brower said: "I do know that when it comes to these kind of things, it's who blinks first."
The NUM wants - among other demands - a monthly increase of R2 100 for core workers and R2 000 for non-core workers.
In a statement issued earlier this week, the mine said the demand for a R2 100 increase on basic wages for core employees, was the equivalent of a 23 to 43% increase at the lowest levels, while the demand for non-core workers was equivalent to a 22 to 42% increase at the lowest level.
The company said that at Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration talks last month, it had tabled an offer of increases ranging from seven to eight percent for the next financial year.
The union also wants the living out allowance to be increased from R2 200 to R3 718, an increase of 69%.
