Labour union Solidarity welcomed on Thursday a pay offer made by Kumba resources as a ”fair step in the right direction” but was still awaiting a mandate from its members.
Spokesperson Reint Dykema said: ”The 7,75% pay hike increase for higher earners and 8,75% for lower categories made on Wednesday would simply maintain employees at the level at which they were before.
”But this will help curb the repercussions of the inflation rate, which has affected living standards of employees drastically.”
If the members accept the offer, their salaries would be upped by R240, meaning that those at lower post levels would be earning R2 764 per month.
Dykema’s statement came just hours after the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said it still had to consult with its members before deciding on whether to accept the offer — which was R44 shy of a settlement.
When the NUM downed tools on Sunday and Solidarity on Monday, they demanded a 9% wage increase for higher earners and 10,5% for lower earners.
The strike, which involves two other unions, brought production at Kumba’s Grootgeluk, Thabazimbi, Tsikondeni, Sishen, Leeuwpan and Glen Douglas mines to a halt.
But Kumba spokesperson Trevor Arran was on Thursday still adamant that the company had not been severely affected by the strike.
”Things are going fine … contingency plans are in place and there are no major disruptions.”
He could not say whether the company was prepared to up the offer should unions refuse the one made on Wednesday.
”We made a revised offer during a meeting with the unions on Wednesday but they still have to meet with their constituencies … that’s all I’m prepared to say at this stage.”
Kumba mines dolomite, iron ore, coal, base metals and heavy minerals. — Sapa