Labour Minister: striking miners 'not deciding for themselves'
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant said on Tuesday that striking workers at the Lonmin mine in Marikana must return to work so negotiations can continue, TimesLIVE reports.
The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) was still on-site, Oliphant told reporters in Parliament.
"The peace accord that was signed is clearly set. Workers must go back to work and then the negotiation process will start.... Unfortunately, the workers and their representatives still have not pitched for talks." Oliphant bemoaned the fact that workers, who had not been paid since the wildcat strike started over a month ago, were not taking the decisions themselves. "They are being led by people who have the means to support themselves."
Oliphant said there were indications that those who formed part of protests were not only striking workers, but unemployed people as well. According to TimesLIVE, Oliphant said workers needed to rethink their position and make a decision, as it was having serious repercussions. "You'll find the very same people encouraging these workers not to go back to work (...) will be on the front lines to look for jobs."
Read the full article on http://www.timeslive.co.za
