The miners are demanding a basic salary of R16 000 a month(SABC)
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Striking mine workers, at Beatrix Gold Mine near This, after talks between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the mine management over wage dispute deadlocked. It is almost a week since the workers downed tools. The workers are demanding a basic salary of R16 000 a month. The Provincial NUM leadership, this morning, tried to negotiate with the workers to return to work but striking miners refused saying they will only return to work once their demands are met. They dispersed peacefully after failing to agree with NUM. Some of the workers want to negotiate with mine management themselves but mine management will not negotiate with the workers. Management says it will not offer any salary package to the workers. This follows an existing two-year wage agreement with the workers that expires next year. The Provincial NUM leadership says it will continue to persuade workers to return to work. Meanwhile, mine management has sought a court interdict against striking miners. This will give them the option of dismissing workers should there be no peaceful outcome in the negotiations.
