Reuters reports that a National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) spokesman said on Friday that the union’s strike over wages in the coal sector will commence on 19 November.  

According to the Chamber of Mines (COM), the companies involved in the negotiations, which include Anglo American Coal, Delmas Coal, Exxaro and Glencore, account for about half of SA’s coal production and employ 14,000 people, namely 20% of the labour force in the sector.  The NUM apparently represents about 70% of these employees.  The two sides are not far apart.  The larger companies have offered an increase of R1,100 for year one for lower-paid employees and an increase of 7.5% for the higher categories.  The smaller companies have offered increases ranging from 5% to 7.5%.  The union has been demanding a once-off payment of R1,100 this year and an 8% increase for 2018.

• Read this report in full at EWN
• See too, NUM members ‘will only accept three-year coal wage deal’, at EWN

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