[miningmx.com] – JOSEPH Mathunjwa, president of the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (AMCU), said the union was likely to call a strike over wages in the platinum sector in the next seven days.
“There will be a good chance of strike action,” he said at a press conference in Sandton today. “If our members give us the go-ahead, we will not hesitate. If our members say tomorrow, we won’t hesitate.
“But if employers call us tonight saying that they want to engage we will walk an extra mile (and meet them),” he added.
The AMCU is demanding a minimum R12,500 per month salary for entry level workers against an 8% wage increase offered by platinum sector management. AMCU’s demand is equivalent to a 40% wage lift for certain employers.
Mathunjwa also raised the prospect of taking union members out on strike at gold mines where AMCU had a presence.
This was after the Chamber of Mines (CoM) had “closed the door” on negotiations. “It [CoM] closed the door to us and so they will, therefore, face the very same notices. They will be notified in the coming week,” he added.
Mathunjwa’s comments won’t be a surprise to affected mining companies which include Impala Platinum (Implats), Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and Lonmin in the platinum industry, and some mines owned by Sibanye Gold, Harmony Gold and AngloGold Ashanti in the gold sector.
AMCU already has a certificate of non-resolution granted by the Council for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) following failed negotiations at Implats – which enables it give 48 hours notice of intended strike action – and it expects to win similar certificates for industrial action at Amplats and Lonmin.
However, Mathunjwa said there was no strategy to bring the platinum sector out on strike simultaneously. “That is immaterial,” he said. “Whether it is simultaneous or not, it is immaterial.” If it calls a strike at Amplats, Lonmin and Implats some 75% of South African platinum production would be affected.
Johan Theron, a spokesperson at Implats, said it was probable that AMCU would first allow employees to draw a January salary before embarking on a strike. A simultaneous strike would also heap pressure on employers.
AMCU has upped the ante on wage negotiations just as there seems to be progress in wage talks between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Northam Platinum where a strike at the Zondereinde mine is now in its third month.
The sides meet later today to thrash out a settlement after the NUM consults with members. It’s thought a 8.5% to 9.5% agreement could be arranged although Northam has indicated certain conditions would have to be met.
There is some uncertainty as to whether gold sector strikes will be protected or unprotected. In terms of the Labour Relations Act, employers are allowed to advance a settlement with a majority union to minority unions provided that negotiations were centrally bargained.
Mathunjwa said, however, that his union was not compelled to accept the 8% wage agreement accepted by the NUM in the gold sector where it is still the majority union. “We have the right to strike,” he said, adding that legal opinions on the matter were on a “… capitalist forum to protect the interests of those companies”.
