JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Tuesday brought the six-day strike at Northam Platinum’s Zondereinde mine, in Limpopo, to an end after workers accepted a draft memorandum developed by both parties.
NUM chief negotiator Ecliff Tantsi said the workers would return to work starting on the nightshift on Tuesday.
Union members embarked on a strike on January 13 in protest of the company's "flouting" of policies and aims of unilaterally changing sick note and recruitment policies.
The memorandum stipulated the design of a process, with no conditions or preconditions, focusing on the issues raised prior to and during the strike.
The parties also agreed to adhere to the Peace and Stability Framework and commit to a multistakeholder “healing process” aimed at resetting the relationship and ensuring stability.
The strike at the mine cost the company 1 000 oz/d of platinum-group metals production – equating to a revenue loss of R11.5-million a day – with workers forfeiting some R2.4-million a day in wages and benefits.