[miningmx.com] — STRIKING workers at Gold Fields’ KDC West mine are
demanding a minimum monthly salary of R12,500, an amount that has become the
new benchmark in a spate of wage-related labour disputes across the industry.
Around 15,000 KDC West workers (formerly Driefontein) have been striking since the
evening shift on Sunday. The strike is unprotected in terms of South Africa’s labour
legislation and it came soon after the internal squabbles of the National Union of
Mineworkers (NUM) – the dominant union at the gold company – resulted in a one-
week work stoppage at KDC East. That issue was resolved last week Wednesday.
NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka told Miningmx that striking workers again
called for the removal of branch leadership – the same as was the case at KDC East –
as well as a R12,500 monthly salary. Together with this was a demand to have less
taxes deducted on bonus payments.
Seshoka said NUM’s regional leadership has already started to engage with the
strikers on their requests.
Gold Fields spokesperson Sven Lunsche confirmed that the group has taken receipt of
the demands, saying the list also included a request on the equalisation of salaries
across the company’s operations. “It is true that people are paid different salaries for
doing the same work,’ Lunsche said. “It’s part of legacy issues, but we’ve already
started to address that.’
He said that KDC West usually produces 1,440oz of gold per day. However, some of
the mine’s surface operations, which contribute 150oz, are still operational.
LONMIN
Meanwhile, Lonmin said that around 6.3% of its employees reported for duty on
Monday; the day it expected workers to up tools again following the signing of a
peace accord between the group and three recognised unions last week.
The peace accord called for a return to normality in the wake of the death of 42
mineworkers and two policemen in violent attacks during the second week of August.
In return for agreeing to the peace settlement, Lonmin undertook to open a new round
of wage negotiations. The Association of Mining and Construction Union (AMCU) and
some independent worker committees didn’t commit to the peace agreement.
AMCU President Joseph Mathunjwa said on Friday that the only demand on the table
was a minimum salary of R12,500 per month.
The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), which brokered
last week’s settlement, said on Monday that the return to work of all striking workers
was a pre-condition of wage negotiations.
“All signatories to the agreement therefore supported the principle that the current
unprocedural and unprotected strike must be brought to an end and that there must
be a return to work as a pre-condition to the commencement of such negotiations
under the auspices of the CCMA,’ read a CCMA statement.
“The CCMA will therefore only be able to bring all parties to the negotiation table to
facilitate wage negotiations once there has been full compliance with the terms of the
agreement reached during the peace accord process, as well as full compliance with
the provisions and procedures of the Labour Relations Act, which under the
circumstances, requires a return to work by all workers at Lonmin.’
However, Lonmin spokesperson Sue Vey said negotiations were underway. “Lonmin is
trying to move the process forward and everybody is here except for the worker’s
committees.’
