About 3 500 mine workers will continue their strike over low salaries on Tuesday, trade union Solidarity said.
Spokesperson Reint Dykema said Solidarity members started striking at coal mines around the country on Monday over an inadequate pay offer, particularly for artisans.
He said that production had been disrupted at some of the mines.
”The workers have united and approximately 3 500 workers have come out on strike. The two large producers, Anglo Coal and Exxaro, are particularly hard hit,” said Dykema.
The mines were in the Mpumalanga and Gauteng area.
However, Chamber of Mines negotiator Eric Nwedo said production at all mines was continuing on Monday.
Dykema said members were unhappy with the lower categories of workers being offered a 10% increase and artisans 8%.
He said the strike sent a clear message to the Chamber of Mines that artisans, miners and officials were dissatisfied with the offer.
Solidarity is demanding a 10% increase for miners, artisans and officials for this year and for next year.
The Chamber is offering an increase of between 7,5% and 8,5%.
Dykema said the strike would affect the industry negatively as coal mines planned to increase exports through the Richards Bay terminal from 71-million tonnes to 90-million tonnes by 2009.
He said Eskom would also need additional coal supplies for its planned expansions, aimed at significantly increasing its capacity.
”The production losses caused by this strike will be minimal compared to the losses facing coal mines if they should lose their skilled workers,” he said.
He said urgent steps needed to be taken to improve remuneration and to train new artisans as result of a skills shortage in the industry.
However, Eskom spokesperson Fani Zulu said that if the strike affected power supply it would only impact on three mines in Mpumalanga and Gauteng.
”If the strike is to affect power supply, the impact will only be linked to at most three stations. The plans are in place to truck coal into those power stations should the need arise,” Zulu said.
Chamber of Mines spokesperson Jabu Maphalala said it was too early to quantify the impact of the strike on mine production.
”It’s very early days. This is the first day. The shift and the workload hasn’t gone a full cycle as yet, so we cannot say for sure what the impact is,” he said.
Chamber negotiator Nwedo added that production at all mines was continuing but that contingency plans were in place to minimise the impact of the strike.
”The steps taken, as well as the level of strike participation, has resulted in a fairly small impact on productivity,” he said.
Nwedo said the majority union — the National Union of Mineworkers — had recommended the offer to its members and it was ”unfortunate” that Solidarity had embarked on strike action.
”The employers are convinced that they have tabled a fair packaged offer to the unions,” he said, adding that the offer took into account the workers’ demands, the long-term viability of the industry and the specific circumstances of each company. — Sapa