Johannesburg -
After 45 people were killed and 42 work days were lost, the Lonmin strike in Marikana is over – but this could be bad news for the biggest miners’ union in the country, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
Workers themselves, under the strain of not working and earning for six weeks, have accepted Lonmin’s latest offer.
An agreement was signed on Tuesday night in Mooinooi outside Rustenburg.
“We have reached an agreement that we have worked tirelessly for,” said Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration commissioner Afzul Soobedaar.
He said the negotiations were not easy and congratulated the parties for their commitment to reach a settlement.
In terms of the agreement, the lowest underground worker would earn R9 611 from R8 164, a winch operator would earn R9 883 from R 8 931, a rock drill operator would earn R11078 from R9 063 and production team leader would earn R13 022 from R11 818. All workers would receive a once-off R2 000 bonus and were expected to return to work on Thursday morning., Sapa reported.
The offer includes a basic salary, a housing allowance of about R1 800 and medical aid, excluding any bonuses.
Lonmin spokesman Abbey Kgotle said the mine was happy to have concluded the negotiation which he describe as being difficult.
He dedicated the agreement to the workers who were killed during the strike.
Bishop Jo Seoka, speaking on behalf of the mineworkers, said it was important to accept the offer, as Lonmin was threatening to dismiss them if they did not accept. He said the increment across the board was 22 percent, adding that “no union has ever successfully fought for more than 20 percent”.
“They gave us something close to what we were looking for and said if we accept, we must get back to work on Thursday. What’s even greater news is that another round of negotiations is due in October, where unions will negotiate for another increase of around 12 percent,” Seoka said.
Thousands of workers left the stadium singing and dancing.
“This is not what we were looking for, but it is much better than what we were being paid,” said striking workers’ leader Zolani Bodlani.
NUM negotiator Eric Gcilitshana said the agreement would bring stability at Lonmin.
“Workers will return to work and earn wages,” he said.
President of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction (Amcu) Joseph Mathunjwa said the agreement could have been reached before workers were killed when the strike intensified. “This could have been done without losing lives,” he said.
The mineworkers are, however, taking up a new fight, meeting to establish how “we’re going to cancel NUM in Lonmin”.
They claim the union failed to represent their interests, which forced the workers to talk directly with the employers.
There is a strong feeling that NUM members will decamp and move to join the Amcu.
Despite workers single-handedly obtaining a 22 percent increase, unions said they still had a role to play.
Joseph Mathunjwa said unions had a vital role to play.
“The agreement confirms Amcu's value of not entering into any agreement without proper consultation.”
Gcilitshana said unions' role were still valid and relevant.
“After this workers will decide which union they want to join,” he said. The NUM had been hammered through out the strike, with workers indicating that they have lost confidence in the country's biggest mineworker union.
The Star, Sapa