Solidarity warns of difficult road to recovery after platinum strike, calls for changes to labour laws regarding strikes

Trade union Solidarity today warned that a long recovery lies ahead following Amcu's paralysing strike in the platinum industry. Solidarity moreover called on Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant to revise current labour legislation in order to, among other things, make provision for confidential strike ballots by trade union members, to subject similar, destructive strikes to a mandatory arbitration process and to abolish the winner-takes-all majoritarian principle.

Amcu yesterday accepted the newest wage offer of employers in the industry following a five-month strike. Solidarity welcomed the end to the strike, but stressed that the new offer was in reality a repackaged version of an older offer and that the extent of the losses and damage could have been considerably smaller if Amcu had brought an end to the strike sooner.

According to Gideon du Plessis, General Secretary of Solidarity, the platinum strike was the longest, most expensive and most destructive strike in the history of the South African mining industry. "The platinum industry will experience the after-effects of the strike for a long time to come. Amcu probably only settled because the employers were on the verge of bringing a court application to have the strike declared dysfunctional because of the serious violence and intimidation that went along with it," says Du Plessis.

Du Plessis further points out that the strikers' joy over the agreement will be short lived, as they will have to face the consequences of the principle of no work, no pay that applied during the strike. The futures of several shafts of the mining companies that were affected by the strike are hanging in the balance and large-scale layoffs are likely to take place. Moreover, the mining sector's sustainability was harmed, local economies were destroyed, investors were deterred and South Africa's image probably suffered irreparable damage.

"The strikers will have to work for several years to make up the losses they suffered as a result of the strike. Through the strike, Amcu has succeeded in causing the impoverishment of its members, many of whom will become statistics of layoffs. Because of its poor negotiating skills and ideological framework the union brought harm to its members and caused the impoverishment of thousands of non-striking workers and their dependents, as the right to strike was elevated above the right to work," according to Du Plessis.

Solidarity called on the government to restore the rule of law in the platinum belt in the wake of the labour unrest and attendant criminal activities in the area over the past two years.

Solidarity urged its members despite the uncertainty to do everything in their power to support their companies, thereby assisting the mines in becoming fully operational again as soon as possible and making up production losses. "All stakeholders will have to join forces to bring restoration to the once lucrative platinum industry and economy of the Rustenburg area," says Du Plessis.

Solidarity thanked all individuals and organisations who made contributions to help alleviate the plight of non-striking workers over the past five months. "We specifically thank Solidarity Helping Hand who offered emergency relief in excess of R2 million to non-striking workers," says Du Plessis. "We urge the public to continue supporting Helping Hand's ongoing emergency aid projects in the area, thereby helping to alleviate the strike's long-term effects on the local community."

Statement issued by Gideon du Plessis, General Secretary: Solidarity, June 24 2014

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