South African trade union Solidarity said on Friday it had rejected a 7,5% pay rise offer by Lonmin, the world’s third-largest platinum producer, and stuck to its demand for a 10% rise.
Solidarity said Lonmin had said during negotiations on Thursday that it could also not meet a ‘market-related’ housing allowance demand, but could only offer a percentage increase equal to the pay rise.
”The offer made by management is unacceptable and significant adjustments will have to be made to the offer before negotiations resume,” the union said in a statement.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Tuesday it had rejected a 6,5% pay rise offer by Lonmin during separate negotiations for NUM affiliated Lonmin employees. .
Solidarity said it had already reached agreements with the coal and gold producers for increases of between 9% and 11% and a 9% pay rise was reached with Northam Platinum — a unit of black-owned Mvelaphanda Resources. — Reuters