Much negotiation still has to take place before mining industry bargaining councils are formed in South Africa, according to Mining Weekly.

The source of the disagreement is centred on the Chamber of Mines' decision to initially set up a bargaining council for gold and coal workers, planned for late 2007.
Other councils for sectors such as the platinum industry would then follow later on.

It has now emerged however that the three unions involved in the negotiation process are not altogether behind this multi-stage approach.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Solidarity and the United Association of South Africa all told Mining Weekly that they had reservations about a staggered implementation of bargaining councils.

NUM spokesman Moferefere Lekorotsoana said that his organisation would be attempting to reverse the policy, which had been introduced during the latest negotiation phase.

Reint Dykema, from Solidarity, also said that his union would have preferred the formation of a single bargaining council.

Platinum miners in South Africa currently carry out bargaining negotiations on an individual mine basis.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd