Lines still open on gold pay talks

Johannesburg - Negotiations between Solidarity and the Chamber of Mines on salary increases in the gold mining sector were scheduled to continue on Monday, the trade union said.

"Solidarity will resume its effort to reach a negotiated settlement while two other unions declared a deadlock in the negotiations, and a certificate giving them the opportunity to strike has been issued," Solidarity general secretary Gideon du Plessis said in a statement on Sunday.

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) said on Thursday the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Uasa rejected the chamber's revised offer and were issued a certificate of non-resolution.

At the time NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said union members would be consulted on the negotiations and balloted on a strike.

Du Plessis said Solidarity decided not to declare a deadlock.

One of the reasons was that the chamber met eight of the union's ten "other substantive demands".

"The salary increase percentage remains the primary focus of Solidarity's demands but the spirit of compliance with which the other substantive demands were met created the platform for continued negotiations."

He said the employers would at same stage declare that their "final offer" was on the table.

"At this point unions should also then finally deliberate on the offer. Therefore, Solidarity is of the opinion that a deadlock has not yet been reached and that the chamber is yet to make a final offer."

He said Solidarity called on its members to take the decision on whether to strike with "great circumspection".

"Solidarity is a members' organisation and if our members want to take strike action at a later stage, we would honour it," he said.

"However, Solidarity is of the opinion that emphasis should now be placed on job security and the sustainability of the gold industry and that strike action would defeat the purpose."

Solidarity called on the chamber to table a revised offer on Monday.

"Solidarity is of the opinion that the chamber is withholding a substantial portion of their final offer in order to have sufficient bargaining scope to achieve a settlement during a strike," he said.

"However, Solidarity would prefer to negotiate the final offer around the negotiating table and not in the streets."