Friday, 11th March 2005 (2549 views)

South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is seeking to establish a new central mining bargaining council that will represent workers in all the major commodities produced in the country.

It is expected to encompass platinum, gold, coal and diamonds, and will be championed by the NUM.

NUM national deputy general secretary Archie Palane told the South Africa Sunday Times that he hoped to establish the council by next year.

By the end of this year Mr Palane is hoping to have a framework in place, with the council then taking shape in 2006.

The NUM says that a centralised council would fill a vacuum, drawing together what it believes is a fragmentary approach at present.

Fellow unions Solidarity and the United Association of South Africa have also lent support to the scheme, although Solidarity's Spec Vermeulen said that there could be some issues reconciling the different aims of the various industries.

"It will be difficult to ensure the inclusion of all commodities and all size companies into a joint dispensation," he explained.

"A bargaining council might become very inflexible at a time when the industry has to be able to adapt to ever-changing economic conditions, including fluctuating exchange rates and commodity prices."

The relevant parties will now be contacted to take the process forward, with the development of a constitution and registration with the department of labour the next steps.

 

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