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Solidarity will not strike

Johannesburg - Solidarity will not take part in the gold sector strike at this stage, the trade union said on Tuesday.

"[Solidarity] is still consulting with its members regarding the Chamber of Mines' final wage offer for employees in the gold industry," general secretary Gideon du Plessis said in a statement.

"Solidarity expects the chamber to make a raised offer this week that will hopefully be acceptable to the union's members."

He said the process of getting a mandate from members was being hampered by a lack of information regarding the gainsharing scheme that formed part of the chamber's final offer.

Members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in the gold sector will down tools on their night shift on Tuesday.

"The NUM has not been willing to undergo industrial action but given the arrogance of the captains of the gold mining industry, the union is forced to embark on nationwide industrial action that will change the gold mining landscape forever," spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The NUM has noted government's wishes that industrial action be avoided and dares the state to explain on which side it is on."

President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday urged parties in the gold mining sector to reach a wage agreement soon.

"Government can only appeal to parties to find a solution. I don't think we can tell the management of the mine 'accept what the workers are saying', nor can we tell the workers [that]," Zuma told editors at a breakfast briefing in Pretoria.

"We just appeal that the two parties must find one another because a protracted strike is not helpful to the country nor to the industry itself." Employers in the gold mining industry were issued with a strike notice by the NUM on Friday.

The union, which claims to represent at least 80 000 workers in the industry, rejected the final pay offer made by the chamber last week.

Gold mining companies, represented by the chamber, offered a basic increase of 6.5% for category four and five employees, including rock drill operators.

An offer of 6% on the basic wage was made to category six to eight, as well as to miners, artisans, and officials.

In addition, accommodation allowances would be increased in accordance with the consumer price index.

The gold mining companies are AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Rand Uranium, Harmony Gold, Evander Gold, Sibanye Gold, and Village Main Reef.

The union is demanding R7 000 a month for surface workers and R8 000 a month for underground workers.

On Monday, Charmane Russell, spokesperson for the gold producers, said the employers wanted to avoid industrial action.

She said at this stage, talks of a lock-out were just rumours but the possibility remained.

Gideon on Tuesday said Solidarity, which claims to represent close to 10 000 workers in the industry, had prepared its members for the possibility of a lock out.

The union had instructed its members to "withhold their labour" and not even perform essential services in the event of a lock out.

"We are supporting the strike of the National Union of Mineworkers by ensuring that none of our members do any of the striking NUM members' work, thereby making the NUM's strike more effective," he said.


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