STRIKE BY NATIONAL UNION OF MINEWORKERS AT PALABORA MINING COMPANY
Palabora Mining Company Limited
Registration number 1956/002134/06
PRESS RELEASE
-
Members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) gathered outside the main
gate at Palabora Mining Company at 06h00 this morning after they decided to
strike, and the Company responded by instituting a lockout.
-
The company informed the NUM that, should intimidation of any nature occur
against employees wanting to report for duty or any other visitors to the
mine, the situation would be dealt with swiftly and effectively.
-
Although the company demonstrated its willingness to continue negotiations
in the hope of resolving differences in the latest round of talks on wages
and conditions of employment, NUM decided at a mass meeting of its members
at Namakgale last night, to ditch the offer made by the company and to down
tools at 06h01 today.
-
Emergency services in Phalaborwa have also been alerted to cope with the
situation as it develops.
-
The strike primarily takes place due to the refusal on the part of NUM to
accept the offer made by Palabora of an 8.5% increase, simply to prevent a
strike, during negotiations conducted at the offices of the Commission for
Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in Pietersburg two weeks ago.
-
After talks failed the company reverted to its previous offer of an 8% wage
increase.
NUM demands a 13% increase on wages, alternatively the 8 % increase offered
by the Company plus a housing allowance of R1000 per month for all its
members.
-
Contingency plans are in place, and products are being produced safely and
efficiently.
-
Work at the underground section of the mine, mainly operated by contractors,
continues as normal.
-
Mr. Dave Sadler MD of Palabora Mining Company, said that he regretted that
the talks had broken down but at the same time emphasised that his company
felt that the offer they had made was fair. At the time that the lockout
started, the increase would have been back dated to January, but now this
cannot be guaranteed.
-
Palabora is one of the leading payers in the mining industry.
Z W Ntuli
Chairman
22 May 2001
Profile Group (Pty) Ltd. has taken care in preparing all information on this website, but does not accept any liability for errors or out-of-date information.
