Mediation talks with South African miners' union fail

By Russel Padmore

Three of South Africa's big mining companies are still hoping to avoid strikes by their workforces, after one of the country's biggest trade unions said talks with the official mediation service about wage increases had ended without agreement.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has threatened to call strikes at De Beers, Exxaro and Petra Diamonds.

The NUM, which is one of the biggest mining unions in South Africa, has secured a certificate to strike, after talks on a wage settlement with the companies, at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, came to no agreement.

The union wants a pay increase of up to 8.5% while the mining companies are offering about 4%.

The NUM said: “De Beers can afford to pay the wage increases and other benefits that the NUM members are demanding, after the company recently recorded a 176% jump in rough diamond sales.”

The trade union says a significant increase in pay is needed for miners because prices of food and fuel have skyrocketed.

The three companies say they will continue to engage with the NUM.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: eNCA