Members of the striking Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union have rejected the latest wages offer by the world's top three platinum producers, its president said yesterday.
"The members have rejected the offer from the employer," Joseph Mathunjwa told reporters after speaking at a rally of workers near Lonmin's Marikana mine.
Amcu has held similar rallies in recent days at Anglo American Platinum and Impala Platinum. The strike is in its 14th week.
Wage talks collapsed last week, dashing hopes for a quick end to South Africa's longest and most costly mining strike, which has hit 40% of global platinum production and threatens the growth of the economy.
The companies say they are taking their latest pay offer direct to the workers by means of cellphone text messages and radio and newspaper spots to circumvent the Amcu leadership's intransigence.
Initially, Amcu demanded an immediate doubling of the basic wage for entry-level workers to R12500 a month before allowances such as for housing.
The union has since said it will accept annual increases that would reach the R12500 a month goal in three or four years' time.
The producers' latest offer, made on Thursday, was for wage rises of up to 10% and other increases that would take the minimum pay package - the basic wage including allowances - to R12 500 a month by July 2017.
The union objects to the inclusion of allowances - it wants the R12500 a month clear, as well as all benefits. - Reuters
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