African miners represented by National Union of Mineworkers are striking again, this time in South Africa at Northam Platinum Ltd. The local union represents over 7,000 workers and is demanding wage increases between 22% and 43% as well as housing allowance increases. The company?s last offer stood at about 8% wage increases, but was rejected by the union. Other mining workers represented by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union have also failed to reach an agreement with the three world?s largest platinum producers and could very soon join the National Union of Mineworkers in striking for better wages. Should the strikes coincide, it would affect sites that constitute over half of the current global output. The NUM will meet with Northam Platinum tomorrow to begin negotiating again.
See "South Africa Union Pay Strike at Northam Platinum", Paul Burkhardt, Bloomberg News, November 3, 2013