Solidarity considering costly strike at Lonmin
- Published on 21 Aug 2013
- HR Pulse News Desk
Fin24 reports that trade union Solidarity is considering going on strike at Lonmin in a bid to get their recognition, as majority union, at the company restored. The strike will reportedly cost R60 million per day.
Solidarity general secretary Gideon du Plessis is reported as saying that Lonmin’s action of signing this agreement violate the recent framework agreement for a sustainable mining industry that was spearheaded by deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe.
Business Day also reports that Du Plessis said the union had lodged a dispute with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). It had also begun a mandating process for members to test the waters for a strike if conciliation becomes deadlocked.
However, reports Mining Weekly, a strike will be a last resort: “The irony is that Amcu members will lose about R18-million in bonuses if Solidarity and the other trade unions’ members strike for just one day,” said Du Plessis.
Lonmin and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) have signed an agreement which grants Amcu majority union status at the company’s operations.
