The National Union of Mineworkers has approached the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to arbitrate in a wage dispute with Bombela Civils Joint Venture, the principal contractor on the Gautrain project.
NUM spokesperson Bhekani Ngcobo said the union lodged papers with the CCMA on Monday.
This followed the failure of talks with Bombela on Thursday.
”The Gautrain project, of which Bombela is the principal contractor, is a multimillion-rand project and workers want to benefit from the project, and therefore workers want an R8 wage increase,” said Ngcobo on Tuesday.
Construction workers employed on the Gautrain project downed tools at all major sites on September 26, demanding an R8 per hour increase across the board.
”Should the CCMA intervention fail, NUM will be given a certificate of non-resolution, which will pave the way for strike action.
”If strike action takes place, the whole Gautrain thing will be a mess. We made so many compromises … workers can no longer compromise while contractors take home billions of rands,” said Ngcobo.
Ngcobo said the union would meet Bombela on Wednesday.
Bombela spokesperson Barbara Jensen was not immediately available for comment. — Sapa