Trade union Solidarity on Wednesday served diversified mining company Kumba Resources with a 48-hour strike notice that Solidarity members will come out on strike from midnight on Sunday.
The strike action will be conducted jointly with the National Union of Mineworkers, the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa and the Building, Allied, Mining and Construction Workers’ Union, who were all also in possession of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration strike certificates, the union added.
“It is estimated that as many as 6Â 000 of Kumba’s 9Â 000 workers will take part in the strike,” Solidarity said.
“This will bring Kumba activities nationwide to a standstill. Mines affected by the strike are Grootegeluk, Sishen, Thabazimbi, Leeuwpan, Glen Douglas and Tsikondeni,” the union added.
“The trade unions are striking because Kumba has offered their members an increase of only 6.5%. Trade unions demand a 9% increase for upper-post levels and 10,5% for workers art the bottom level,” Solidarity said.
Trade unions also demanded a 10% housing increase, plus an additional R250 housing payment, the union added.
Last year in June, Kumba increased the rental cost of company housing by an average 17%, Solidarity said.
“Workers had to see Kumba’s chief executive, Con Fauconnier, get a 35% increase in the previous financial year. Kumba’s attributable profits increased by 400% in the previous financial year,” said Solidarity spokesperson Reint Dykema in a statement.
Solidarity has 1Â 500 members in Kumba, the union said. — I-Net Bridge