By Ed Stoddard
JOHANNESBURG, Sept 2 (Reuters) – Talks to end a deadly
strike at the South African mining operations of world No. 3
platinum producer Lonmin resume on Monday after
weekend funerals for over 30 workers killed by police.
Lonmin wants to restart production at mines idled for three
weeks by labour strife which has spread from the platinum sector
to bullion. Gold Fields said a quarter of its workforce
has been on strike since Wednesday.
The stakes are high for Lonmin, which has a shaky balance
sheet and was battling to contain costs even before a wave of
labour violence that killed 44 people, including 34 striking
workers shot dead in a single confrontation by police.
The violence stemmed from a bloody turf war between the
dominant National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the small but
militant Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union
(AMCU) which has flared across the platinum belt.
Lonmin rock drill operators, who downed tools in an illegal
strike on Aug. 10, are demanding a more than doubling of basic
monthly pay to 12,500 rand ($1,500). But other workers may also
be in dispute.
“At the moment it is not clear if these demands are
restricted to rock drill operators or if entry-level miners also
want 12,500 rand a month,” said Gideon du Plessis, deputy
secretary general of trade union Solidarity.
Solidarity represents skilled workers who have not been on
strike. But all unions have been involved in the talks aimed at
getting ore out of the ground again.
It was not clear who would take part in talks on Monday.
AMCU’s leaders, who say they have been sidelined, say they will
only show if they are invited.
Continued…
