JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Wage negotiations at the Two Rivers platinum mine, near Steelpoort, have been suspended by the mine management, South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Wednesday.

The labour union said in a statement that the negotiations were suspended and that mine management wanted the mineworkers to join a new association, which was established by the mine’s management, before talks could continue.

“We condemn the attitude of Two Rivers mine management and have taken the matter to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) for intervention,” NUM North East regional secretary William Mabapa commented.

Representatives of the mine, which is jointly owned by African Rainbow Minerals and Impala Platinum (Implats), could not immediately be reached for comment.

The NUM demanded a 20% increase in wages, a forty-hour working week, a production bonus and a housing allowance increment.

IMPLATS NEGOTIATIONS

Meanwhile, the NUM also reported that it had declared a wage dispute with Implats over wages, saying that it would take the dispute to the CCMA for conciliation if the next meeting, on June 24, does not lead to a resolution.

“We are serious about reaching consensus, but the company is unwilling to come to the negotiating table with an offer. We have no option but to declare a dispute,” said the NUM’s negotiator at Implats Eddie Majadibodu.

However, head of investor relations at Implats Bob Gilmour said that Wednesday’s meeting had only been a preliminary meeting and that the actual negotiations would not start “for a while yet”.

The NUM had demanded a 20% wage increase from Implats, saying that the above-inflation increase would bring entry-level wages to R5 000 a month, as workers had to deal with higher food and transport costs.

The NUM and other labour unions have demanded increases of 15% from gold and coal companies in South Africa.