Platinum Strike Ends

ToxicBunny said:
Agreed, it is the same general mineworkers... but this strike does seem to have generally been somewhat more "peaceful" than the Marikana one.
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Nope, don't think so. Lots of reports of murder/hacking of people trying to go to work. Just didn't make headlines like the police defending themselves did (because of the body count)
 
JOSEPH Mathunjwa, president of the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (AMCU), vowed to continue the fight against "slave wages", according to a report by Bloomberg News.

“We will work towards their liberation of these slave wage salaries,” he said at the official signing of a wage agreement that ends a five month strike in the platinum sector which cost a combined R30bn in lost revenue and worker salaries.

Bloomberg News quoted Lonmin CEO, Ben Magara, at the signing ceremony to have said the wage agreement was "... only a first step to rebuild our businesses", and added there were "... no winners in this strike”.
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http://www.miningmx.com/page/news/o...Mathunjwa-vows-to-continue-fight#.U6p4LfmSwYN
 
I'm currently working on a budget for 2015 and considering our wage negotiations with the Bargaining Units which started this month.

We are offering them 8% increase and their demand (Solidarity and NUM) was 15%. I think its a reasonable start and we probably gonna settle around + 1%. We offering them 8% increase on basic salaries and allowances. Safety performance increase of 0.5%. Mining housing allowance R1700 in 2014 and will increase to R2300 in 2016. We also increasing pension fund contributions from 10% to 12% in 2016.

AMCU is small at these particular mines and they don't have bargaining powers. What I like about NUM and Solidarity is that their proposal is reasonable. They even submitted proposals to increase productivity and reduce absenteeism in the workplace.
 
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dlk001 said:
I'm currently working on a budget for 2015 and considering our wage negotiations with the Bargaining Units which started this month.

We are offering them 8% increase and their demand (Solidarity and NUM) was 15%. I think its a reasonable start and we probably gonna settle around + 1%. We offering them 8% increase on basic salaries and allowances. Safety performance increase of 0.5%. Mining housing allowance R1700 in 2014 and will increase to R2300 in 2016. We also increasing pension fund contributions from 10% to 12% in 2016.

AMCU is small at these particular mines and they don't have bargaining powers. What I like about NUM and Solidarity is that their proposal is reasonable. They even submitted proposals to increase productivity and reduce absenteeism in the workplace.
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Solidarity has always struck me as a union that's actually interested in finding solutions and having a mutually beneficial relationship with the employer.

NUM has always been a tad more militant and prone to striking, but even they're saints when compared to AMCU.
 
OrbitalDawn said:
Solidarity has always struck me as a union that's actually interested in finding solutions and having a mutually beneficial relationship with the employer.

NUM has always been a tad more militant and prone to striking, but even they're saints when compared to AMCU.
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At these mines (mostly open pit), NUM and Solidarity have similar mindset because of how we work hard on employer - employee relationships. They tend to be more engaged in everyday work issues and culture is often nice. The problem is with our underground deep mines. The mindset/culture there is different from management to workers.

I often tell people, the deeper you mine, there more people's mentality becomes deurmekaar.
 
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dlk001 said:
At these mines (mostly open pit), NUM and Solidarity have similar mindset because of how we work hard on employer - employee relationships. They tend to be more engaged in everyday work issues and culture is often nice. The problem is with our underground deep mines. The mindset/culture there is different from management to workers.

I often tell people, the deeper you mine, there more people's mentality becomes deurmekaar.
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I think you have a point here.

Since at open cast minning Management of all levels can engage with employees daily and often does. Where underground only the "shift sup" will be down there. Management won't go down there it's too dangerous.
 
Pitbull said:
I think you have a point here.

Since at open cast minning Management of all levels can engage with employees daily and often does. Where underground only the "shift sup" will be down there. Management won't go down there it's too dangerous.
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Eh, I don't think it's got anything to do with danger. I think it's just a case of being too much of a schlep to go down to the face and see what's happening and the fact that conditions in a deep level mine are pretty uncomfortable.
 
XennoX said:
Eh, I don't think it's got anything to do with danger. I think it's just a case of being too much of a schlep to go down to the face and see what's happening and the fact that conditions in a deep level mine are pretty uncomfortable.
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True I suppose. That just means that Management doesn't know to much about the conditions down there. Top bosses should have their offices down under ground too :p

Imagin having a meeting for 10:00. Your client will have to be there at 8:00 to decend to make the appointment at 10:00 :D
 
Pitbull said:
I think you have a point here.

Since at open cast minning Management of all levels can engage with employees daily and often does. Where underground only the "shift sup" will be down there. Management won't go down there it's too dangerous.
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Mogalakwena is an AngloPlatinum mine just like any of the mines in North West. That is where there similarities end. The culture at Mogalakwena is similar to that of any open pit mine, hence you have not heard of a strike at Mogalakwena. Underground mines have an aggressive culture.

If you go to Mogalakwena, you will find workers combining their R150 safety bonus, having a braai and celebrating safety achievement. If you go to an underground mine, workers would rather have that money deposited in their individual accounts. The mindset is just so different.
 
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