The NUM has suspended discussions with Impala Platinum (Implats) on issues relating to rockdrill operators, the union said on Wednesday.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) initially sent a negotiating team there and invited the rockdrill operators' informal committee to be part of the negotiations, said spokesman Lesiba Seshoka.
He said the negotiations were suspended after continuous failures by the rockdrill operators' representatives to stick to agreed positions.
“We are convinced that these so-called representatives, who are self-imposed, are used by third forces and we have appealed to them to go and rethink their strategies,” said NUM chief negotiator at Implats Eddie Majadibodu.
“It has become apparent from them reneging on all agreed positions which includes going to jointly report to members as well as them distancing themselves to agreed positions that they belong to a third force,” he said.
The NUM anticipated that the rockdrill operators' leaders might want to cause confusion and it appealed to law enforcement officers to act against anyone who intimidated workers out of going to work.
“We further appeal to the company to apply its policies to the letter,” he said.
Workers went on strike at Implats' Rustenburg operation in January, demanding monthly pay of R9000.
Implats fired the 17,200 workers after they refused to return to work despite a court interdict declaring the strike illegal.
They were re-employed after negotiations between NUM and Implats.
The mine, the NUM and rockdrill operators have been holding talks over the issues which led to the illegal strike. - Sapa