JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – As wage talks between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and JSE-listed Northam Platinum stalled, the 7 000-strong strike at Zondereinde, in Limpopo, continued into its sixth day.

NUM acting spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu told Mining Weekly Online on Friday that the group planned to march to the mining operations next Tuesday and, if Northam failed to accede to the demands after that, the union would initiate a march to the company’s headquarters on Thursday.

However, both parties said they remained open to discussions, with the NUM being “on 24-hour standby” should Northam reconsider.

The wage negotiations, which had hit a stalemate under the auspices of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration in October, failed again after the NUM’s team of negotiators – led by chief negotiator Ecliff Tantsi – had, on behalf of the union’s members, this week rejected another revised offer from Northam.

The platinum miner tabled a two-year wage offer of 7.5% for noncore and 8.5% core workers within category 2 to 8, and a hike of 8% on the current R2 200 living-out allowance.

Northam further revised their offer to category 9 and 10 workers to 7% for noncore workers and 7.5% for core workers, with a living-out allowance increase of 7%.

But, Mammburu reiterated that its members were opposed to a percentage-driven increase and had demanded quantum hikes of R2 100 for core workers – increases equivalent to between 23% and 43% at the lowest level – and R2 000 for noncore employees – representing increases from 22% to 42% at the lowest levels.

The union demanded a living-out allowance increase of about 69% to R3 718 a month.

The demands were attached to stipulations that the agreement would be for one year – as opposed to the usual two-year wage agreements – and that the company would ensure that the increases were implemented by the “nonnegotiable” date of July 1, dismissing the company’s suggestion of August 1.

“We are calling upon the board of Northam Platinum to provide leadership on this to avoid a further fracturing of the company,” said Mammburu.

The strike was the second to hit Zondereinde this year.

On April 2, 580 rock-drill operators (RDOs) downed tools for three weeks, demanding higher monthly production bonuses.

Operations resumed after Northam agreed to award the RDOs a ‘return-to-work’ compensation, comprising a one-off payment equivalent to 50% of their basic wages for the duration of the strike period and R2 000.

This was despite total production losses for the three weeks amounting to 16 000 oz of platinum-group metals and gold with a value of about R192-million in April.