Johannesburg - The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) on Thursday said its members would embark on a solidarity strike with striking truck drivers and miners should their demands not be met.
"If their demands are not met, we might be left with no option but to embark on a solidarity strike action," said secretary general Irvin Jim in a statement.
Numsa is affiliated to the Congress of SA Trade Unions and is active in the metal sector.
Jim said the proposal would be taken to Cosatu's central executive committee next week Monday.
Mining companies firing striking workers and replacing them with contract workers should have their mining licences withdrawn.
"The companies failure and refusal to find a negotiated settlement is yet another example of an abuse of the licence given to them to mine."
The mining companies have "dismally failed" to provide decent shelter or accommodation for mineworkers 18 years into democracy.
"The apartheid wage gap in the mining industry is alive and well. It needs to be exposed."