FRIDAY, 4.00PM
THE Mouthpiece Workers’ Union, which was behind the crippling strike at Anglo American Platinum Mines last year, on Thursday aligned itself with expelled ANC former minister Bantu Holomisa’s National Consultative Forum.
On Thursday the union, which has formally applied for registration with the labour department, shared a platform with Holomisa at a Rustenburg rally. Said Holomisa: “If workers wish work with our party, we will welcome them and will make sure their capacity is developed and advise them genuinely.
Last year’s unsuccessful Amplats strike arose after Anglo bought the mine. The National Union of Mineworkers informed miners they had a right, on change of ownership, to recover their contributions to their provident fund. Problems began when workers, who are largely illiterate, began to demand the repayment of other deductions from their salaries, such as medical aid and life insurance. When the NUM sided with management in explaining that this would be impossible, union staffers were threatened with violence. Soon afterwards, the Mouthpiece Workers’ Union emerged and the miners went on strike.
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