S.Africa coal miners to strike,gold miners to talk
By Sue Thomas
JOHANNESBURG, July 25 (Reuters) - South African coal miners declared a strike at three pits on Wednesday as gold miners geared up for talks on a proposed work stoppage and striking power workers mulled settlement proposals from utility Eskom.
About 17,000 workers at three South African coal mines said they would strike from Sunday after talks on Tuesday failed to resolve key issues with their bosses.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said it was in deadlock with coal mines Ingwe (quote from Yahoo! UK & Ireland: BLT.L), Eyesizwe and Anglocoal (quote from Yahoo! UK & Ireland: AAL.L) on wages, medical benefits and meal intervals.
``The NUM therefore declares a strike against three major collieries...A 48-hour strike notice is being served to the companies. The strike will begin on Sunday 29 with the night shift,'' the NUM said.
No date had been set for further talks with coal mine employers.
A dispute at the country's key gold mines moved towards resolution after the NUM said late on Tuesday it would respond to revised offers from the country's largest -- Anglogold , Gold Fields and Harmony -- and smaller mine Durban Roodepoort Deep .
``The strike on Thursday is not on anymore. We will wait for results from Friday's talks,'' said NUM spokesman Moferefere Lekorotsoane.
The NUM had voted on Monday to go on strike on Thursday to press for higher wages as well as other benefits.
VITAL EMPLOYER
Although mining accounts for only seven percent of South Africa's gross domestic product, it makes up 40 percent of its exports and is a vital employer in a country that has a 25 percent unemployment rate.
Fears of a protracted mining strike and the electricity work stoppage, which has coincided with power disruptions, have helped batter the Johannesburg bourse to three-month lows.
Shares in Anglo American, Anglocoal's parent company, had slipped 6.55 percent or 720 cents to 102.80 rand by 1051 GMT on Wednesday, partly on news of the pending coal strike.
Early on Tuesday, hundreds of striking electricity workers gathered in centres around the country to demonstrate for higher wages from Eskom.
At the same time the NUM -- which also has large membership at Eskom -- the Metalworkers Union and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa were mulling proposals handed to them by Eskom after talks late on Tuesday.
The unions said Eskom had raised its offer slightly.
``They've moved slightly, but they have to change more,'' said Oupa Komana, an NUM negotiator.
Up to 80 percent of some 23,500 workers went on strike on Tuesday over Eskom's unilateral seven percent wage increase. The unions have demanded nine percent.
(Additional reporting by Allan Seccombe) |
