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NUM to march against Anglo Coal
November 6, 2009
Thousands of union members will march to the offices of Anglo Coal's owner, Anglo American, on Saturday to present a memorandum of demands, the National Union of Mineworkers said.
These included that Anglo Coal implement agreements reached at the Chamber of Mines.
"Amongst these agreements is the 2002/2003 agreement relating to child care facilities and funeral cover for dependants," the NUM said.
"It is our conviction that hence there has been an agreement on child care facilities, the company must build these facilities as a matter of urgency as non-compliance has compromised the dignity of its women workers," said Lefty Mashego, the NUM 's Anglo Coal mining house co-ordinator in the region.
The union called for the speedy implementation of funeral cover which had been agreed on.
It also called on Anglo Coal to halt "victimisation of its personnel based on compulsory HIV/Aids voluntary tests and counselling results."
Other demands included job grading and a halt to the unilateral employment of contractors.
"Various NUM branches from the Highveld region will participate in the march including Goedehoop, New Denmark, Kriel Coal, New Vaal, Isibonelo, Grenside/Kleinkopie/Landbou and Shared Services,"
the NUM said.
Workers would gather at Beyers Naude Square on Saturday at 9am and would march to Anglo American's head office in Marshall Street to hand over the memorandum.
The management of Anglo Coal said it had noted the NUM's intention to march "with disappointment."
"Despite having all the forums at operational level and corporate level, designed to allow the union leadership to raise concerns, as well as having direct access to the executive team of Anglo Coal, the Anglo Coal leadership of NUM has opted to march to the Johannesburg office."
"In a letter sent to the Chief Executive Officer of Anglo Coal, Ben Magara, NUM cites racism, transformation as well as issues pertaining to the recognition agreement signed between the company and the union as the reasons for the march."
The company said it believed it had made significant progress on the issues that the NUM leadership had raised.
"We have shared information on these issues with them as we regard all employee representative organisations as partners in our business, be it on safety, employee benefits, HIV and AIDS, transformation and many other issues that affect our people," Magara said.
He believed that the issues raised by the NUM could be resolved around a negotiating table.
"The company will endeavour to strengthen the relationship as well as support the negotiations in every way possible." - Sapa
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