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Solidarity: Chamber Wage Negotiations - Solidarity speaks sternly

Solidarity: Chamber Wage Negotiations - Solidarity speaks sternly

6th July 2015

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/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The trade union Solidarity said today that if the Chamber of Mines does not pay attention to its claims this week, it will have to take the necessary drastic action, within a judicial framework, to obtain a positive settlement.

According to Gideon du Plessis, General Secretary of Solidarity, the union will apply strong arm tactics if the Chamber, once again, does not address the union’s claims properly. “We will, among others, in terms of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, demand that certain mine houses be closed due to their non-compliance with statutorily security regulations. The latter refers specifically to the Best Practice Code for risk-based exhaustion management”, Du Plessis said.

The union states that it will not hesitate to take under consideration, in terms of the Company Act, business rescue applications against the mine houses if the mine houses plead poverty during salary negotiations and retrenchment consultations.

Solidarity’s main objection is the Chamber’s differentiated salary increase offer, which evidently will mean the lowest increase for the union’s members in the categories of miners, artisans and officials. According to Du Plessis, it creates the impression that increases in the other categories are subsidised by the union’s member category.

“Furthermore, there is discrimination on grounds of age because miners, artisans and officials are not allowed to retire at the age of 63”, Du Plessis said. “On top of that, members in other categories receive an employer’s contribution of 60% to their medical aid, while our members’ category received an offer for an employer’s contribution of only 50%”, Du Plessis further stated.

Du Plessis warns that differentiated benefits and allowances, according to the Marikana Report, was particularly one of the triggers that were identified in leading up to the protest actions among rock operators at Impala Platinum and Lonmin. “The Chamber of Mines clearly did not learn a lesson from the latter and do not realise that two level bargaining is extremely dangerous”, Du Plessis explained.

Du Plessis emphasised that the union will not threaten sustainability in the mining industry, but will not tolerate it any longer to be treated as second class employees. “If our claims are considered, we will focus on accommodating collective problem solving”, Du Plessis added.

Issued by Solidarity

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