JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South African platinum-miner Impala Platinum (Implats) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) will take a wage dispute to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) later this month.

Implats spokesperson Bob Gilmour said on Friday that the union and the company would meet at the CCMA on July 19 and 20, as the parties have, so far, been unable to reach an agreement.

The platinum miner was offering a 7,2% increase, while the union had demanded an initial 15% wage increase, said Gilmour.

The one-year wage agreement was supposed to have taken effect on July 1.

Gilmour noted that about 70% of its work force were NUM members.

Last year, a two-week strike over wages cost the JSE-listed company more than 20 000 platinum ounces at its Rustenburg operations.

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