Aquarius Platinum workers demand salary increase

Aquarius Platinum mine workers are demanding a monthly salary of R12,500 for entry level workers by 2016.
The demands were made at a workers’ mass meeting with the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU). The workers say that the increase will put them on the same level as their counterparts at the platinum mines of Impala Platinum (Implats), Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and Lonmin. The current monthly entry level salary of an Aquarius miner is R5,600. Last year, a similar wage demand at Implats, Amplats and Lonmin led to a five-month strike that cost the industry over R20-billion in lost earnings. The Aquarius wage demand comes in the wake of mooted retrenchments in the platinum belt, due to falling prices of the precious metal.