JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has warned that its members could go on strike at diamond miner De Beers’ South African operations, should the parties not be able to conclude a wage agreement.

The trade union on Friday declared a wage dispute with the mining company, and negotiations will now move to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

The NUM was demanding a 15% wage increase, a 5% increase in employees’ shift allowance and a 5% increase on continuous operations, but said that De Beers was only offering an 8% wage increase.

It rejected this offer, saying that the cost of living had tripled, given the higher electricity costs.

However, De Beers felt that its offer was “fair”, given a declining consumer price index.

“The company remains committed to constructively discuss this important matter of pay with the union and we have every intention to seek a speedy resolution to the dispute which has now been referred to the CCMA,” the company said in a statement.

The diamond miner pointed out that about half of the 2 500 employees at its six South African operations were in the bargaining unit represented by the NUM.

It added that its minimum wage was currently R5 000 a month, but said that this applied to less than 100 of its employees, who where at the lowest skills level.

A 9% wage increase had been implemented in 2009.

Its South African operations produced 4,8-million carats of the group’s total output of 24,6-million carats in 2009.

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