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30 July, 2007
Unless an eleventh hour solution is found today, thousands of members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in South Africa will strike six diamond mines of DeBeers on Tuesday, 31 July. A walkout will mark the first full-scale mining strike in South Africa this year as current bargaining across a number of mining sectors remains bogged down in wage disputes.
The NUM issued a strike notice to the world’s largest diamond miner on 26 July, following certification from South Africa’s Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) that talks had hit a standstill. A day earlier, NUM members voted to strike the company, which is 45% owned by AngloAmerican.
NUM members at DeBeers, numbering about 6,000, are adamant that an 11% pay increase is due them. DeBeers is only offering 8% and a contract for two years.
“DeBeers continues to preach 8% and a two-year agreement, and we had said ‘No,’” stated NUM’s lead negotiator for diamond mining, Peter Bailey. He added, “Workers have told us in no uncertain terms that double-digit” percentage increases are necessary in order to get a settlement, said Bailey.
DeBeers stated that it intends to operate mines with a contingency plan if the NUM takes strike action.