The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in South Africa will embark on protected strikes at De Beers and Petra Diamonds after failing to reach a wage settlement with the companies at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). The NUM is currently involved in a mobilisation process amongst its members, preparing them for strikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The NUM confirmed that the wage negotiations have collapsed with De Beers and that it has been awarded a certificate to embark on a protected strike. The NUM has sought from De Beers an increment of 8% across the board, while the company is offering an increase of 1.5%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Petra Diamonds, where the wage negotiations have collapsed as well, the NUM is demanding a higher wage increase of R1,000 as against the company\u2019s offer of 4%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is going to be a big, big fight,\u201d William Mabapa, the NUM Chief Negotiator at the three companies, said in a statement. \u201cFood prices, fuel prices and general inflation had sky-rocketed. There is just no room for peanuts increases and for that, we are prepared for war,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Caption: A 50 ton shovel at the Venetia mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Credit: \u00a9 De Beers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in South Africa will embark on protected strikes at De Beers and Petra Diamonds after failing to reach a wage settlement with the companies at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). The NUM is currently involved in a mobilisation process amongst its members, preparing them for strikes.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5463,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[83,96,100],"tags":[],"thb-sponsors":[],"class_list":["post-5462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bulletin","category-diamonds","category-in-focus"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n