Northam Platinum must brace itself for further industrial action in South Africa after its workers rejected a new wage increase offer.

Roughly 80 per cent of the company's 6,800 employees at the Zondereinde mine decided to go on strike almost five weeks ago when talks over improved pay collapsed.

Northam has already offered hikes of 8.5 per cent and then nine per cent as part of a two-year deal, but both have been flatly rejected by the miners.

A third offer, thought to be 9.5 per cent, was made today (6th October), but the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has confirmed that it has also been dismissed.

"The offer was rejected and the strike continues," Zwelitsha Tantsi, the NUM's chief negotiator at Northam, said in an interview with Reuters.

Northam has revealed that it is losing about 1,000 oz of pgm production per day as a result of the strike, with the NUM still holding out for a 15 per cent rise.

However, the firm did announce last week that it has halted industrial action by members of the Solidarity union after agreeing a new wage deal.

Sources:



S.Africa miners reject Northam's revised pay rise offer (06/10/10)



S.Africa's Northam raises pay offer to end strike-union (05/10/10)



Northam Platinum workers 'to strike on Monday' (02/09/10)



Northam Platinum hit by strikes in South Africa (06/09/10)



Strikes costing Northam 1,000 oz per day in lost pgm output (08/09/10)



Northam Platinum workers continue SA strikes (14/09/10)



Northam Platinum's new pay offer rejected by striking workers (16/09/10)



Northam signs wage deal with Solidarity but NUM strike continues (29/09/10)

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