A 12-day-long strike at Sasol Mining in Secunda has come to an end with both Sasol and employees represented by the newly recognised United People’s Union of South Africa (Upusa) trade union agreeing that work would resume on Thursday afternoon.
An estimated 2 000 employees, or one-third of the Sasol Mining workforce, embarked on the strike over wages almost two weeks ago.
“The industrial action was resolved at a meeting between Elphas Nthuli, national chairperson of Upusa, and Herman Wenhold, MD of Sasol Mining,” Sasol said in a statement. “It was mutually agreed to call off the current Upusa industrial action with immediate effect.”
The petrochemical giant and the union also resolved to strengthen their relationship.
Sasol’s mining business negotiates wages and conditions of service directly with recognised unions including Solidarity; the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers’ Union; the South African Chemical Workers’ Union; and Upusa.
Agreement was reached with all representative unions with the exception of Upusa during a recent round of negotiations.
Sasol, the world’s biggest producer of fuel from coal, said the strike had affected the division’s five mines but not fuel production. While it has not confirmed the extent of the production lost as a result of the strike, Sasol Mining confirmed last week that the mines were producing at lower volumes than normal.
Sasol Mining produces an average of 40-million tonnes of coal yearly. — I-Net Bridge