South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is meeting with mining companies and the arbitration authority in a move which could pave the way for nationwide strike action.

If an agreement over safety at mines is not reached, the NUM could call a national strike that would see miners from all sectors, including the platinum industry, downing tools, with December 4th expected to be the likely date of the industrial action.

Safety issues have already blighted production at a number of mines this year and a strike of the scale being planned by the NUM would see further setbacks to the production levels of platinum at producers such as Anglo Platinum and Impala Platinum.

Anglo Platinum's Chief Executive resigned earlier this year over safety issues and a full-time replacement has yet to be appointed by the company.

Ahead of the meeting, the NUM's General Secretary Frans Baleni told Reuters: "We expect a final decision today."

Frans Barker, the chief negotiator of the Chamber of Mines, added that the mining companies are set to propose new safety measures at the meeting in an effort to avert the strike action.

Source:

Officials meet to decide planned S.Africa mine strike, 27/11/07
http://africa.reuters.com/business/news/usnBAN729812.html

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