Polokwane – Negotiations between the National Union of Mine Workers (NUM) and ASA Metals’ Dilokong Chrome Mine near Burgersfort in Limpopo over week long sit-in by around 500 workers demanding the resignation of two senior managers deadlocked, the union said on Monday.
NUM has accused the mine management of “negotiating in bad faith” and “setting up traps” to fire the workers who staged the underground sit-in.
At the centre of the deadlock was a proposal that workers who participated in the sit-in must enter guilty pleas when appearing before a disciplinary hearing.
NUM regional deputy secretary Philip Mankga said talks collapsed because the union believed the guilty pleas would result in the 500 workers being dismissed.
Mankga said they wanted a deal that would allow their members to return to work without being subjected to disciplinary hearings.
The union, through its members, launched a protest against the mine management two weeks ago demanding that the company remove its human resources manager and labour relations officer.
“We can’t sign an agreement that puts a direction to the dismissal of our members,” said Mankga.
He said NUM members would not report to work until the employer altered its proposal to exclude the provision that striking members plead guilty.
African News Agency