The labour federation yesterday refused to blame its affiliate, the National Union of Mine workers (NUM), for the lapse in leadership that led to workers embarking on unprotected strikes.

The strikes largely engulfed the platinum and gold mines in North West, Gauteng and Free State.

"We reiterate what we said at the (Cosatu) congress, that it is the mine employers in general and Impala bosses in particular who must take full responsibility for all the strikes that are spreading across the mining industry."

"Impala made a grave error in offering an 18% increase to one category to the exclusion of the rest of the workers there , and more seriously, outside the collective bargaining process," Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said.

"Expectations were raised not by the NUM, but by the employers and the recent mineworkers strikes were a response to the employer's miscalculation," Vavi said.

He slated Lonmin's decision to engage with stakeholders who do not enjoy recognition rights in the collective bargaining, saying it had set a bad precedent.

"Lonmin should have known that getting wage negotiations to be facilitated by the churches and allowing everybody, no matter their legal status, to play a role in the negotiations would create a precedent they would not be willing to repeat anywhere else," he said.

With NUM leaders being openly rejected in most mines where there are strikes, Vavi has vowed that the federation and the union would offer leadership despite "acts of intimidation at some mines against members and leaders of NUM".

"Now that the workers have embarked on unprotected strikes on their own, the NUM, with the active support of Cosatu, have an obligation to lead the workers who are on strike and channel their demands to the employers."

NUM secretary Frans Baleni said the union had started talks with the Chamber of Mines and would meet them again today.

Baleni cautioned mine bosses to desist from firing workers who have been on an illegal strikes since that would worsen the already volatile situation.

Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini said an investigation had to be conducted to determine an acceptable minimum living wage for the sector.

SACP deputy secretary Solly Mapaila said there should be no confusion about the fact that the mine bosses were to blame for the upheaval.

"Mine bosses are instigators and they used this situation to divide the workers," he said.

Comments

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Fri May 24 14:39:07 SAST 2013 ::

Oct 3, 2012

Pointman

On the one hand I understand Cosatu's stance in that they have been sidelined and we have chaos. But did they not go to sleep. It seems that Cosatu officials were too busy looking after their business interests to worry about their real job of fighting for the workers.
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Oct 3, 2012

!!Sinudeity!!

COSATU is busy making lots of noise at the moment. They have been deemed irrelevant, and they want to make it appear that they are not.

Anyways, I blame the unions and the workers. A report was released showing that the mine strikers are in huge debt, and being ripped off by micro-lenders. Hence, even though they signed and agreed to contracts and increases last year, they threw away the contracts for more money. Merely to pay their debts.

Blame is on the unions and the mine workers.
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Oct 3, 2012

Traveljunie

The unions are solely to blame for this mess, no one else. Greedy bunch just want fees, they feel nothing for the workers. They just promise workers unreasonble and un realistic increases just to make sure they pay their fees to them.


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Oct 3, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

This is a joke maybe the mines must shut down the business I mean there are minerals in Africa they can set up shop there.......how do you expect to shear in the my profits if you made no down payment this is rediculus sies maan!!!!
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Oct 3, 2012

malemaforpresident

The so called alliance is nonsense we need independent labour federations Vavi is aliant to the ANC led Government with which most ministers are the share holders in the mines and now he claim to represent the interest of the workers that bull shiiit AMCU is the sole federation that represent the interests of the miners not Cosatu or NUM Viva AMCU viiiiva
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Oct 3, 2012

Mgaraji

You will see all black people will critisize black unions. Why is it when black people have to confront whites, blacks prefer to critisize & fight amongs themselves? Why can't we let people fight for what they believe they deserve. if others cannot assist them, just shut up.
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Oct 3, 2012

Dlamza

The problem now is that people who went to school are now earing less than miners and truck drivers. The government should expect all industries to strike. There will be a lot of school drop-outs as education is not supported at this point. Why study hard for years and earn less than people who are uneducated.
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Oct 3, 2012

Mgaraji

@Dlamza:
Why blame truck drivers & miners for fighting for what they believe in while graduates are satisfied with enjoying aircons, sharing boardroom with caucasian and playing an understanding of the text book game. Why can't you inspire graduate to fight for better salaries.
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Oct 3, 2012

Mdeeva

No Vavi no,you cannot solely blame employers,your federation supposed to be mediating and remedieng the situation that is why employees pay labour uniouns. So if the tough gets going the federation protect itself by blaming. No wonder employees lost faith on labour uniouns they are cowards. Who heard the speech by Vavi yesterday on truck strike march and I qoute "We wont stop until there is no cent in the ATMs, We wont stop until there is a last drop of fuel in this country"and he call himself a leader,you dont remedy the situation by taking sides you idiot
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Oct 3, 2012

mashima?

South Africa is rotten. The ANC government has failed its people over for the passed 18 years, now people are enough of empty promises.

If i can make a comparison - an 18 year old child is matured some they even have children and have acquired several responsibilities, but with this government nothing rather than stealing from its suppoters.

There are a lot still to come, they managed to bribe the civil servant, not mineworkers, now truck drivers, guess who is next. May be JZ himself.
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