CCMA adjourns talks between Amcu, mines

Talks between Anglo American Platinum, Impala Platinum Holdings and Lonmin, the biggest miners of the metal, and the union representing striking workers paused for mediators to consult with each party. “The process has been adjourned,” the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), which is overseeing the discussions, said yesterday. “The individual engagements with the parties will be taking place shortly.” The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) met industry representatives yesterday, Jeff Mphahlele, the general secretary of Amcu, said, declining to elaborate. The mining companies were losing about R200 million of revenue a day and the total cost to the country was double that, Roger Baxter, the chief operations officer at the Chamber of Mines, said. The union wants basic pay to be more than doubled to R12 500 a month. “It is still early in the battle,” Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa said. Workers were aware there was risk in striking, “they’re aware they’re losing wages”. – Bloomberg