Platinum Companies Propose to Hike Wages Between 7.5% and 10%

PRETORIA (Scrap Monster): As the South African platinum strike has entered in its 12^th week, the prominent platinum companies Lonmin, Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and Impala Platinum (Implats) have offered a renewed proposal to hike wages between 7.5% and 10% across the different range of employees on Thursday.

The companies have also announced that the allowances would be included with the proposed wage package. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) has been on strike for salary hike to R12, 500 over three to four years for more than three months.

According to Amplants, the proposed wage offer has intended to settle ongoing strike which has already stalled platinum supply across the world. Moreover, the employers and their family have been suffering from the poverty since the strike had begun. Though the company wouldn’t afford the proposed offer, it has offered 7.5% to 9% hike in wages.

As per the report, the platinum producers have been anxious on the continuing wage strike which had crippled the platinum production entirely. The companies also struggle as electricity has risen by almost 20% over the past five years. It is said that the strike has drifted away R13.5bn from the miners whereas R6bn from employers.

However, the company officials asked Amcu members to gather on Tuesday to get a final word.