Platinum producers respond to AMCU petition

Johannesburg 14 May 2014- Platinum producers Anglo American Platinum Limited (Amplats), Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) and Lonmin Plc (Lonmin) will strongly oppose the urgent application by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) to the Labour Court to prevent employers from:

• communicating with AMCU members about the wage offer that has been made to AMCU;
• ascertaining, by way of a survey, employees' views whether they believe the offer is fair under current circumstances;
• ascertaining, by way of the survey, employees' willingness to accept the settlement offer in principle and/or willingness to return to work based on this settlement offer; or
• extending the offer which was made to AMCU directly to AMCU members.

The producers reject claims made by AMCU that any of the above actions contravene the Labour Relations Act, recognition agreements or employees' constitutional rights. The application will be opposed on this basis, and endorsement will be sought from the Court for these initiatives.

Further, the companies reject the statement made by AMCU that they are inducing or assisting AMCU members to resign from the union.

The producers are seeking an end to the strike. To this end the companies have tabled a fair, affordable and sustainable wage offer to AMCU. The companies want to ensure that employees are fully informed of the offer, and that they are empowered to accept or reject the offer of their own free will.

AMCU leadership has repeatedly indicated that the union will act in line with the mandate given by employees. Let us hear what employees want to do. The companies call on AMCU and its members to uphold the law, and employees' right to work should they choose to do so.

Statement issued by Charmane Russell on behalf of the Platinum Producers, May 14 2014

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