Miningmx reports that the Chamber of Mines of SA and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) reconvened on Monday (November 20).to discuss the latest coal industry wage offer made following eleventh hour talks.  

Livhuwani Mammburuu, spokesman for the NUM, commented:  “I can’t say at this stage whether we can accept or reject the latest proposal from the coal mining firms.  By Wednesday, members ought to give the union a mandate.”  He declined to comment on whether the Chamber had made any concessions on centralised bargaining in future wage talks.  The coal companies’ reticence to conduct future wage talks under the auspices of the Chamber has been a major sticking point.  The NUM would prefer to settle wage negotiations through centralised bargaining in the future; so much so, that it has made it part of its wage demands. Coal mining companies are thought to have argued that individualised wage negotiations make it easier for the smaller coal miners to reach agreements of their own rather than having to toe the line of the financially stronger larger companies.  The NUM has meantime held back notice of a strike in view of Monday’s plenary session.

• Read this report by David McKay in full at Miningmx

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page