ANA reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in Kwazulu-Natal (KZN) said on Monday that its members have gone on strike at Idwala Carbonates in Port Shepstone following a deadlock in wage negotiations.
The operation mines a deposit of scarce, white calcitic and dolomitic limestone. The union said the strike started on Wednesday last week when Idwala management refused to improve their offer of a basic salary increase. Idwala is apparently offering workers a 6.5% salary increase, whereas the union is demanding 8%. On the housing allowance, the company is offering R140 over and above the current R1,000 entitlement, while the NUM is demanding R1,500 instead. The NUM is further demanding standardization of shift allowances, while it described the company’s R20,000 loan offer that was dependent on member’s credit records as “useless”. Muzikayise Zakwe, NUM regional secretary in KZN, said they were talking to their branch at cement manufacturer NPC with a view to lobbying members at NPC to engage in a secondary strike.
- Read this report by Siphelele Dludla in full at The Citizen
- Read the NUM’s press statement in this regard at Cosatu Today
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