JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – An illegal strike by several hundred workers at German speciality chemicals group Lanxess’ Rustenburg chrome operation turned violent on Tuesday, as site management attempted to engage employees on their grievances.

“A large group of employees aggressively attacked the management and accompanying team of security guards with stones, injuring two guards.

“In an act of self-defense, and as a precautionary measure, security [guards] fired a round of rubber bullets into the ground in front of protesters. Two employees were hit by rubber bullets, while three others sustained injuries in the commotion. Five people received medical assistance on site,” Lanxess spokesperson Sibonile Dube said in a media statement.

The workforce, represented by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), embarked on the industrial action last Thursday, demanding an annual performance payment (APP) in addition to the existing signed agreement between the company and its workforce.

The APP bonus scheme relied on the company’s global performance and was only applicable to “eligible employees”, one of various bonus schemes designed to meet the needs and regulations of the 50 global Lanxess sites.

The mining employees in Rustenburg were eligible for a bonus scheme based on production, which Lanxess said was commonly implemented in the South African mining industry and which it believed was “very competitive”.

“There is a long-standing agreement to this effect, that the NUM, as well as the company, have both signed. Therefore, the workforce is not entitled to participate in any other bonus scheme,” Dube said.

Despite the strike being declared an illegal work stoppage by a court interdict issued on Friday morning, which ordered employees to report for work with immediate effect, by Tuesday morning, the majority of the workforce had not complied with the order.

The company said it had sought to avoid all forms of escalation over the last five days and was seeking a constructive dialogue with the employees and the NUM to reach a solution.

Discussions with the NUM began on Tuesday afternoon.

Lanxess reported that all downstream leather plants were running normally.