NUM wage strike ends at JSE-listed miner Afrimat

The wage strike by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) at JSE-listed Afrimat ended after the Cosatu affiliate accepted an offer based on the “original terms” the company tabled.

“The strike was resolved on March 24, and employees returned to work the following day,” Afrimat head of communications Tanya Pretorius said on Tuesday. “We experienced no adverse impact on operations, and an agreement was reached with NUM on the original terms,” she said.

Contacted for comment, NUM’s Matlosana regional secretary, Hudson Sosikela, confirmed the workers are now back at work.

But he said the deal was not based on the original company offer, as alleged by Afrimat.

“They are lying; the deal reached was not based on the original terms. Yes, we called off the strike after we accepted the new offer proposed by the company,” Sosikela said.

“They came up with a new proposed offer regarding the medical aid contribution and medical insurance; that’s why we then decided to call off the strike.”

The NUM had been demanding a 7% wage increase while the employer offered 5%. The inflation rate is hovering around 3%. Pretorious previously said the employer was willing to go back to the negotiating table but stressed Afrimat had nothing further to offer beyond the proposed 5%.

Afrimat had said operations at its Lichtenburg cement operation were running at full capacity despite the industrial action. Sosikela had said about 130 workers downed tools.

Afrimat describes itself as a leading black-empowered open-pit mining group that supplies construction materials and industrial minerals to a range of businesses and industries across Southern Africa.

Meanwhile, the NUM is among unions demanding a 15% wage increase at power utility Eskom. Its demands include a R7,000 housing allowance, a R1,500 cellphone allowance and an electricity allowance of R1,500. It also wants the employer to contribute 80% to medical aid.