JOHANNESBURG – The time of dancing on the same spot in different shoes must come to an end, the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) said about the Chamber of Mines' wage negotiations.

"The members of NUM expect nothing less than a tangible commitment towards a living wage and a better life for workers and their dependents," the union said in a statement issued this weekend.

The wage demands of the union include R9 500 for entry level surface employees and R10 500 for underground employees, a 15% increase for all miners, artisans and officials, maternity leave benefits, a living-out allowance and better housing conditions, a medical contribution at a 70:30 ratio, a commuting allowance for collieries. It wants agreement on these demands within 14 days.

NUM wants the chamber to be aware of "the urgency and gravity" of its wage demands and rejects what it claims to be "the senseless and ridiculous offers" made by the chamber.

The union says its members have grown tired of what it regards as the chamber's "lack of commitment to address our reasonable demands to improve our living conditions".

Num claims it is "intolerable that after 21 years of democracy mineworkers are still trapped in conditions of abject poverty together with their families, while the mining executives and bosses have grown richer by the day". 

The union pointed out that the workers continue to take risks at the workplace, "while bosses rake in millions without any threat of harm to their lives".

NUM furter alleges that it is aware of "a systematic attack" by the industry on NUM and its members. Examples of this kind of attack according to the the union are nullifying secondment agreements so as to recall leaders who serve in the structures of the union on a full time basis, undermining negotiated agreements between the chamber and NUM, a lack of transformation, growing attacks on NUM branch leadership and manipulation of membership statistics to disadvantage NUM.

"We urge the Chamber of Mines to ensure that conciliation processes on September 7 and 8 for the collieries and on September 14 and 15 for the gold sector must yield positive and definite results and not a pittance," the union said.

"We commit never to give up for our demands as are a matter of life or death."

News24.com