No talks in sight as coal strike 'is felt'
The National Union of Mineworkers yesterday said no meetings were planned with mining houses in the coal sector after workers went on strike on Sunday over wages. "Our members have downed tools and supported our call for a strike," NUM spokesman Livhuwani Mammburu said.No meetings were scheduled with Anglo American, Glencore and Exxaro Resources, he said.NUM last week rejected the companies' latest offer to raise basic salaries for the lowest-paid worker categories by between 5.5% and 8.5%. The union wants increases of 12% to 13%.Chamber of Mines spokesman Charmane Russell said the strike was "being felt".Mzila Mthenjane, Exxaro's executive head of strategy, said: "We will continue to engage with the unions."Wage talks in the gold and coal industry have continued for months as producers face declining prices.On Friday NUM signed a wage agreement with a number of gold mines where it is also the largest labour group. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, the second-biggest union in the industry, led by president Joseph Mathunjwa, rejected the deal...
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