AMCU Votes for Lonmin Strike

[dlk001]

Lonmin feeling the heat of doing business in a banana republic.

If they kick out NUM the cANCer will come down on them.

Lonmin is also feeling the heat of sharing mineral wealth with politicians who are not adding value instead of sharing mineral wealth with its employees/communities who could be adding more value and sustainability to the business.

 

[LazyLion]

AMCU to go ahead with strike

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) will serve Lonmin platinum mine in Rustenburg in the North West with a 48-hour strike notice, SABC radio news reported on Wednesday.

The state broadcaster said earlier negotiations aimed at resolving a deadlock around the recognition agreement between Amcu and Lonmin had failed.

The union said it would go ahead with the strike at the weekend.


Source : Sapa /fg/jk
Date : 12 Jun 2013 07:28

 

[LazyLion]

No Official Word on Lonmin Strike

Platinum miner Lonmin has not been notified that Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) members intend going on strike, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

"Lonmin hasn't received the formal notice of strike. If they do that, the company will act to prevent the strike," Sue Vey said.

Confirmation of, or clarification on, an earlier SABC report that Amcu would serve notice of intention to strike over an organisational rights dispute between itself and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) was not immediately available from Amcu.

Uasa spokesman Franz Stehring said he did not know about Amcu's reported intention. The last his union heard on the matter was that arbitration over the dispute was set for June 26.

"We have not been notified that the notification has been issued."

It was not possible to have a protected strike until the arbitration process related to a dispute had been completed.

Section 22 of the Labour Relations Act states that if a dispute is unresolved, the next step can be either arbitration or protest action.

"The specific document we have received from the mine and the [Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration] refers to arbitration," he said.

"If they give notice, it would be an illegal strike and would jeopardise the security of its members," he said.

NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said his union would not be informed of such a notice, but the last word it had was also to do with the arbitration. If there was a strike, it would be unprotected because of the arbitration date, he said.

The arbitration followed after Amcu attempted to extend its organisational rights to all Lonmin offices. It is also seeking the right to collectively bargain for employees in collective bargaining forum two where, according to the arbitration notice, it does not enjoy majority support.

Solidarity, the NUM, and Uasa represent workers in that forum.

It already has 70 percent representation in bargaining forum one, which includes rock-drill operators and miners.

Amcu also wants to bring forward the implementation date of the next round of wage agreements, from October 1 to July 1.

On May 14 and 15, Amcu members went on strike, reportedly because the NUM would not vacate a union office. The unprotected strike ended on May 15 after Lonmin obtained a court interdict.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe would meet parties in the mining sector -- including unions and the Chamber of Mines -- on Friday.

His spokesman Thabo Masebe said that in the past two weeks Motlanthe, recently appointed to head a mining sector task team, had been meeting unions and the chamber.

At Friday's meeting they would commit themselves to conduct their affairs within the law and within the Labour Relations Act. They would discuss what steps needed to be taken to stabilise the mining sector.

Thirty-four people were shot dead in a clash with police during a strike at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine on August 16.


Source : Sapa /jje/hdw/jk/th
Date : 12 Jun 2013 13:36

 

[LazyLion]

Lonmin Committed to AMCU Negotiations

Lonmin is fully committed to concluding a new recognition agreement with the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), a spokeswoman said on Wednesday evening.

"The company is striving to reach an agreement which is in the best interests of all of its employees, and has made reasonable offers in discussions with Amcu in an attempt to achieve this," Sue Vey said in a statement.

"There is no agreement at the moment, and we are therefore continuing to pursue an amicable settlement."

She said the mining company would continue to hold talks with the union.

Following an SABC report that Amcu would serve Lonmin with a notice of intention to strike, Vey said the company had not received such a notice.

"The company will act in the interests of employees to prevent a strike," she said.

"We reserve our rights and will consider all options to ensure operational continuity and financial viability in the interests of all stakeholders, including employees' jobs. We remain confident that an agreement can be reached through continued negotiations."

Amcu vice president Jeff Mthahmeme was not aware that the union intended serving notice of its intention to strike in an organisational rights dispute with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

He said he was trying to get information on the matter.

Uasa was also unaware of the possible strike notice, said spokesman Franz Stehring. The last his union had heard was that arbitration in the dispute was set for June 26.

"We have not been notified that the notification has been issued."

It was not possible to have a protected strike until the arbitration process relating to a dispute had been completed.

Section 22 of the Labour Relations Act stated that if a dispute was unresolved, the next step could be either arbitration or protest action.

"The specific document we have received from the mine and the [Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration] refers to arbitration," he said.

"If they give notice, it would be an illegal strike and would jeopardise the security of its members," he said.

NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said the union would not be informed of such a notice, but the last word it had was also to do with the arbitration.

If there was a strike, it would be unprotected because of the arbitration date, he said.

The matter went to arbitration after Amcu tried to extend its organisational rights to all Lonmin offices.

It is also seeking the right to collectively bargain for employees in collective bargaining forum two where, according to the arbitration notice, it does not enjoy majority support.

Solidarity, the NUM, and Uasa represent workers in that forum.

Amcu already has 70 percent representation in bargaining forum one, which includes rock-drill operators and miners.

It also wants to bring forward the implementation date of the next round of wage agreements, from October 1 to July 1.

On May 14 and 15, Amcu members went on strike, reportedly because the NUM would not vacate a union office. The unprotected strike ended on May 15, after Lonmin obtained a court interdict.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe will meet parties in the mining sector -- including unions and the Chamber of Mines -- on Friday.

His spokesman Thabo Masebe said that Motlanthe had met unions and the chamber in the past two weeks. He was recently appointed to head a mining sector task team.

At Friday's meeting they would commit themselves to conduct their affairs within the law and within the Labour Relations Act. They would also discuss what steps needed to be taken to stabilise the mining sector.

Thirty-four people were shot dead in a clash with police during a strike at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine on August 16.


Source : Sapa /mv/jje/clh
Date : 12 Jun 2013 20:21

 

[dlk001]

Zuma issues warning on mine violence

http://www.iol.co.za/business/busin...rning-on-mine-violence-1.1531542#.UbmBSPlkOf4

Sapa and Dineo Faku

the instigators of labour-related violence in the mining sector “will face the full might of the law”, President Jacob Zuma said yesterday

“Our law enforcement agencies have been instructed not to tolerate those who commit crime in the name of labour relations,” Zuma said in an address to Parliament.

“Our interest is in finding solutions. It is not in the interest of the country to have a tense labour relations environment which is characterised by a weakening of collective bargaining mechanisms, wildcat strikes, violent protests and loss of life,” he said.

The violence has been blamed on rivalry between the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which has been unseated as the majority union at South African operations of the three largest platinum companies.

Government ministers have been accused of taking NUM’s side and criticising Amcu at public platforms. Zuma denied the allegations, saying the “government does not take sides and does not favour any labour union over others in the mining industry”.

Meanwhile, Lonmin said it would seek a court order to prevent a possible strike by Amcu at its operations.

Amcu plans to serve Lonmin a 48-hour strike notice if the company does not agree to its demands for recognition as the majority union.

Lonmin spokeswoman Sue Vey said: “We are going to do everything in our power to prevent the strike. The moment we receive the notice, we will apply to the courts for an interdict.”

Amcu was not available for comment. The union represents 70 percent of unskilled workers in categories four to nine at Lonmin’s Marikana mine and is negotiating for exclusive organisational rights.

It has demanded union recognition thresholds be set at 35 percent for basic organisational rights and automatic deduction of membership fees.

It also wants a 45 percent threshold for collective bargaining rights, full-time shop stewards and office facilities and transport.

Amcu has also proposed that there be a single bargaining structure for category four to nine employees and those in grades B and C.

Lonmin has rejected this proposal, saying it would be problematic as the company had binding recognition agreements with three other unions: Solidarity, NUM and Uasa.

Its shares shed 1.11 percent to R43.71 yesterday.