Rustenburg - The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) are set to march to Sibanye-Stillwater in Westonaria on Friday, over wage increases in the gold sector.
"Sibanye-Stillwater’ employees within the gold operations have declared a dispute at the CCMA [Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration ] as they are demanding wage increases of R1 000 for surface and underground workers and a six percent increase for artisans, miners and officials," William Mabapa, NUM acting general secretary said in a statement.
"The NUM and Amcu have complied and made an application in terms of the Gathering Act number 205 of 1993 (as amended) to the necessary local government authorities. A memorandum of demand will be handed to Sibanye-Stillwater management," he said.
NUM and Amcu are demanding wage increase of R1 000 for three years against Sibanye’s final offer of an increase of R700 each year for employees under categories 4 to 8.
Miners, artisans, and officials were offered an increase of five percent in each of the three years against a worker’s demand of six percent.
Earlier this month, Sibanye said members of the NUM and Amcu remain locked out at its gold operations in South Africa until such time they have accepted the wage increase offer.
Two other union Solidarity and Uasa have accepted Sibanye's offer and their members were not locked out.
Sibanye informed unions on March 9 that it would implement a lock out at its gold operations in South Africa with effect from March 10.
The company said the lockout was in the interest of achieving a resolution to the proposed strike action and mitigating the negative impact of this on all stakeholders, including employees.
Amcu and NUM issued strike notice to the company that they would go on strike from March 9.
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