IMPALA Platinum Holdings mine yesterday fired 5000 workers who had embarked on an illegal strike over salary adjustments at its Rustenburg, North West, plant last week.
Rock drillers, who are members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), downed tools on Friday after learning that the company had increased miners' salaries by 18% and gave them nothing.
NUM chief negotiator Eddie Majadibodu vowed that the trade union would defend its members, though the strike was unprotected.
"They said during the negotiations that the company did not have money. Where did they get the 18% increase for the miners?" Majadibodu asked.
He said Implats had decided to adjust the miners' salaries without consulting them, and did not consider rock drillers.
But, Implats spokesman Bob Gilmour dismissed NUM's statement "as rubbish".
Majadibodu said the trade union had tried to convince its members to return to work to no avail.
Gilmour said operations had been grounded since the illegal strike began because there were no workers to do rock drilling.
He admitted that the company would rehire new workers. He said it would not be easy to employ 5000 new workers in a short time.
He said the strike had cost the company a lot of money.
Dissatisfaction from the striking workers arose from last year's wage negotiations in July, in which the company and the trade union agreed on salary hikes of 10% for workers at the lower grade and 8% for those at the higher grade.
Miners are on the higher level to rock drillers.
Implats fires 5000 workers
IMPALA Platinum Holdings mine yesterday fired 5000 workers who had embarked on an illegal strike over salary adjustments at its Rustenburg, North West, plant last week.
Rock drillers, who are members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), downed tools on Friday after learning that the company had increased miners' salaries by 18% and gave them nothing.
NUM chief negotiator Eddie Majadibodu vowed that the trade union would defend its members, though the strike was unprotected.
"They said during the negotiations that the company did not have money. Where did they get the 18% increase for the miners?" Majadibodu asked.
He said Implats had decided to adjust the miners' salaries without consulting them, and did not consider rock drillers.
But, Implats spokesman Bob Gilmour dismissed NUM's statement "as rubbish".
Majadibodu said the trade union had tried to convince its members to return to work to no avail.
Gilmour said operations had been grounded since the illegal strike began because there were no workers to do rock drilling.
He admitted that the company would rehire new workers. He said it would not be easy to employ 5000 new workers in a short time.
He said the strike had cost the company a lot of money.
Dissatisfaction from the striking workers arose from last year's wage negotiations in July, in which the company and the trade union agreed on salary hikes of 10% for workers at the lower grade and 8% for those at the higher grade.
Miners are on the higher level to rock drillers.
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