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Cape Town - Fin24 user Thabang Ramushu makes a few points on the strike he says most outside commentators don't understand. He writes:
The lowest paying job grade of an underground worker is a cleaner, followed by a a belt attendant and a timber cleaner.
1. A cleaner cleans under the belts using a shovel and a hose pipe.
2. A belt attendant starts and stops a belt.
3. A wood picker picks wood from the belt.
Their work stations are well supported and relatively safe. Does it warrant their demand, because they work underground?
The rockdrill operators currently earn around R9k take home. Would it make sense for them to go to R12 500 with attendants who are on a package of around R5 000?
Ramashu was responding to a call by labour colmnist Terry Bell for debate on the complex platinum mining issue.
Bell responds:
Hi Thabang
You highlight part of the complexity of the issue, being the varying grades. But payment also varies from mine to mine and the grades up to RDO can also vary.
I am pleased you say cleaners work in "relatively safe" conditions, it is not a pleasant, yet essential job.
Obviously, the assumption by the strikers is that all underground workers will eventually — after four (even five) years — start at R12 500 and then, according to whatever agreements are made, RDOs will, I suppose, still qualify for bonuses etc that may take their pay to R15 000 or so.
Another user, Caleb Mashao wanted to know what exactly Amcu's wage demand is.
Bell: The basic demand is for an entry level wage for underground workers of R12 500 a month that the workers and the union say may be phased in over four years. There are also obviously other details regarding such matters as bonuses, living out allowances etc, but the sticking point is about the entry level wage.
Fin24 user Ntsieni Ntsieni said miners are not looking forward for a salary increase - media is also misleading us in that. They want salary restructuring, hence when you start talking of percentage you will not get to their earnings.
Even though he apologised for saying it, according to one mine CEO miners are not educated enough to understand the percentage dynamics and therefore talk a language of money and stick to it - no percentages.
Bell: I agree that most miners probably cannot understand percentages, but while they may be regarded as amaqaba (the uneducated) they are not stupid. They know the difference between R5 000 and R12 500. That latter figure has become the iconic goal ever since the Marikana massacre and the majority have agreed that so long as they get steady increases to reach that figure in four years from now, they would be happy.
- Fin24
* Terry Bell is an independent political, economic and labour analyst. Views expressed are his own. Follow him on twitter @telbelsa.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyFin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
The lowest paying job grade of an underground worker is a cleaner, followed by a a belt attendant and a timber cleaner.
1. A cleaner cleans under the belts using a shovel and a hose pipe.
2. A belt attendant starts and stops a belt.
3. A wood picker picks wood from the belt.
Their work stations are well supported and relatively safe. Does it warrant their demand, because they work underground?
The rockdrill operators currently earn around R9k take home. Would it make sense for them to go to R12 500 with attendants who are on a package of around R5 000?
Ramashu was responding to a call by labour colmnist Terry Bell for debate on the complex platinum mining issue.
Bell responds:
Hi Thabang
You highlight part of the complexity of the issue, being the varying grades. But payment also varies from mine to mine and the grades up to RDO can also vary.
I am pleased you say cleaners work in "relatively safe" conditions, it is not a pleasant, yet essential job.
Obviously, the assumption by the strikers is that all underground workers will eventually — after four (even five) years — start at R12 500 and then, according to whatever agreements are made, RDOs will, I suppose, still qualify for bonuses etc that may take their pay to R15 000 or so.
Another user, Caleb Mashao wanted to know what exactly Amcu's wage demand is.
Bell: The basic demand is for an entry level wage for underground workers of R12 500 a month that the workers and the union say may be phased in over four years. There are also obviously other details regarding such matters as bonuses, living out allowances etc, but the sticking point is about the entry level wage.
Fin24 user Ntsieni Ntsieni said miners are not looking forward for a salary increase - media is also misleading us in that. They want salary restructuring, hence when you start talking of percentage you will not get to their earnings.
Even though he apologised for saying it, according to one mine CEO miners are not educated enough to understand the percentage dynamics and therefore talk a language of money and stick to it - no percentages.
Bell: I agree that most miners probably cannot understand percentages, but while they may be regarded as amaqaba (the uneducated) they are not stupid. They know the difference between R5 000 and R12 500. That latter figure has become the iconic goal ever since the Marikana massacre and the majority have agreed that so long as they get steady increases to reach that figure in four years from now, they would be happy.
- Fin24
* Terry Bell is an independent political, economic and labour analyst. Views expressed are his own. Follow him on twitter @telbelsa.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyFin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
