SAfrican miners vote to strike in De Beers dispute
South African miners working for De Beers, the world's biggest diamond company, have voted to go on indefinite strike from next week in a dispute over pay, their union said on Thursday.
By Agencies |
JOHANNESBURG: South African miners working for De Beers, the world's biggest diamond company, have voted to go on indefinite strike from next week in a dispute over pay, their union said on Thursday.
National Union of Mineworkers chief negotiator Peter Bailey said the vote to strike from next Tuesday was taken on Wednesday night after talks with De Beers reached an impasse. Around 11,000 miners will take part in the strike.
"We have come up with a unanimous decision to go on industrial action next week unless De Beers comes up with an amicable offer to end this dispute," Bailey told the media.
"The strike will go on for as long as it takes to get a resolution." The unions have been holding out for an 11-percent increase while the company has only put an offer of eight percent on the table.
De Beers spokesman Tom Tweed said the company had received notification from the union of their intention to strike on July 31.
"The company seeks to avoid disruption to operations as this will have a negative effect, both to the company and to employees," he said in a statement to a media agency.
The prospect of a strike at De Beers, which controls 40 per cent of the rough diamond market, adds to the list of union unrest in South Africa which witnessed the biggest public sector strike since apartheid last month.
Unions representing South Africa's platinum miners warned last week they would strike in August unless management raises their pay by up to 12 per cent.
De Beers is 45-per cent owned by London-listed miner Anglo American. The South African Oppenheimer family hold 40 per cent while the state of Botswana owns the remaining 15 per cent.
National Union of Mineworkers chief negotiator Peter Bailey said the vote to strike from next Tuesday was taken on Wednesday night after talks with De Beers reached an impasse. Around 11,000 miners will take part in the strike.
"We have come up with a unanimous decision to go on industrial action next week unless De Beers comes up with an amicable offer to end this dispute," Bailey told the media.
"The strike will go on for as long as it takes to get a resolution." The unions have been holding out for an 11-percent increase while the company has only put an offer of eight percent on the table.
De Beers spokesman Tom Tweed said the company had received notification from the union of their intention to strike on July 31.
"The company seeks to avoid disruption to operations as this will have a negative effect, both to the company and to employees," he said in a statement to a media agency.
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"In the event of a strike, contingency plans are in place to operate the mines. However the company would prefer to settle this without disruption to its normal operations or to employees." The prospect of a strike at De Beers, which controls 40 per cent of the rough diamond market, adds to the list of union unrest in South Africa which witnessed the biggest public sector strike since apartheid last month.
Unions representing South Africa's platinum miners warned last week they would strike in August unless management raises their pay by up to 12 per cent.
De Beers is 45-per cent owned by London-listed miner Anglo American. The South African Oppenheimer family hold 40 per cent while the state of Botswana owns the remaining 15 per cent.
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