The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) will meet representatives of striking Gold Fields mineworkers on Thursday, the mine confirmed.
“We are not involved,” said mine spokesman Sven Lunsche. He was not sure of the venue.
He said that afterwards, there would be a mass meeting of striking miners at the Gold Fields KDC west mine, near Carletonville.
The NUM was unavailable for comment.
Lunsche reiterated that Goldfields would and could not negotiate salaries, as a strike by 15,000 employees entered its 11th day.
“We are not going to negotiate salary, and we cannot.”
On Wednesday he said: “The gold mining industry, unlike the platinum industry, negotiates in a collective bargaining forum. All gold mining companies negotiate jointly with the trade unions.”
He said the companies and the unions were in the midst of the latest agreement, a two-year wage and salary accord by the industry and the unions, led by the NUM.
“For one member to unilaterally raise new issues is not done. We cannot suddenly, unilaterally negotiate separate salaries with our KDC workers.”
The accords had worked well for the industry and the unions for almost the past two decades, he said.
“The strike is still continuing and our engagement efforts also continue at this time,” said Lunsche.
On Wednesday, Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi had to leave its national congress to deal with the strike.
“(We have been called) to go to Carletonville where 15,000 workers have been on strike for the last 10 days, because the employer has secured an interdict which allows them to fire those workers,” Vavi told delegates in Midrand, Johannesburg.
He said the interdict would apprently be implemented on Thursday.
NUM leaders accompanied Vavi to the mine.
Gold Fields secured a court interdict last Monday to end the wildcat strike. The court found that the strike was unlawful and ordered that workers return to work immediately.
Lunsche said the court order had been ignored, but it was not true that it would dismiss workers on Thursday.
“We are considering issuing a third ultimatum under the interdict, which will then allow us to dismiss workers should we decide to do so,” he said.
“We are looking at all our options and have not issued the third ultimatum yet.” Lunsche said the company planned to issue the warning sometime this week.
“We are keeping our options open, depending on developments.
“The best outcome would be if NUM convinces them to return to work.” - Sapa