OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 1.30pm
THE 24000 or so members of the National Union of Mineworkers, at Amplats, the world’s largest platinum producer will be called on to begin striking next Thursday.
NUM’s decision to seek a mandate has come after it failed to resolve issues with Amplats.
Issues centered on the Basic Conditions of Employment Act which NUM feels is not been adhered to. The reasons for dispute that need to be addressed are the 45-hour working week, the apparent insistence by Amplats that its members do not take a one-hour meal break after five hours of work and the need to stop the practice of its members working 11 shifts over 14 days.
It is argued that a standard 10-day fortnight and 40-hour week would create more jobs. An earlier request by Amplats to suspend action by NUM was agreed to and the problems were to be addressed and solved by 22 June.
This did not occur, so a consolidated mandate will be sought from NUM members on 11 July and then management will be given 48 hours notice of their intention to strike.