Trade unions the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) have agreed to intensify strike action against precious metals miner Sibanye-Stillwater in a dispute over wage increases at the company’s South African gold mines.

Additional protest marches will be held to “garner public support and increase pressure on Sibanye”, the unions say.

The unions convened a meeting, in Johannesburg, on April 11 to discuss the ongoing protected strike action at Sibanye’s gold operations, which entered its second month in the first week of April.

Their joint planned protest action includes protest marches to the JSE in Sandton and the Union Buildings in Pretoria, as well as the head offices of prominent media houses, including the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).

The unions intend to protest outside the SABC offices because of its alleged “business-biased” reporting and lack of coverage of the strike thus far.

In addition, the NUM and AMCU have also agreed to give notice of a secondary strike at Sibanye’s platinum operations at Rustenburg and Marikana, where the unions says wage talks are currently under way. With this strike action, NUM and AMCU say about 35 000 platinum miners will down tools.

However, Sibanye-Stillwater spokesperson James Wellstead tells Mining Weekly wage negotiations at its South African platinum operations have not even started, and are only due to start in June/July “as per the norm”.

“We have not received notice of a secondary strike at our South African platinum group metals operations,” he states.

The presidents and national office bearers of the NUM and AMCU have also mandated NUM president Daniel Balepile and AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa to request the urgent intervention of President Cyril Ramaphosa to resolve the current labour dispute with Sibanye.

The NUM and AMCU state that their about 30 000-member strike has been peaceful and disciplined thus far.

SIBANYE’S OFFER

Sibanye is standing firm in its wage increase offer of February whereby category four to eight underground workers will receive an R800 increase in monthly wages, increasing by this amount for three consecutive years.

This increase comprises a monthly increase of R700 and a R100 increase in living out allowances.

For miners, artisans and officials, Sibanye offered to increase wages by 5% a year, for three years from 2021 to 2023.

However, the NUM and AMCU want a R1 000 increase a month for category four to eight underground workers for the three-year period.