1 November, 2013Over 7000 members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) will on Sunday go on strike at Northam Platinum after the union had served the employer with its intention to strike.
The NUM demands an increase of R2,100 for core workers and R2,000 for non-core workers. The company has responded with a meagre 6,5 per cent for non-core and 7 per cent for core workers. The NUM has rejected these offers.
“We reached a dispute, went to the CCMA [Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration] and failed to find an amicable solution. We went further to propose another facilitator, the renowned labour lawyer Charles Nupen, but we still failed,” says Ecliff Tantsi, the NUM ’s National Secretary for Education and Chief Negotiator at Northam Platinum.
The NUM further demands that the current living out allowance be increased to R3718.
“We are now determined to strike at Northam simply to deal with the company ‘s arrogance” says Tantsi.