Members of the National Union of Solidarity have given instructions to place strike notices on Friday at mines negotiating under the banner of the Chamber of Mines. It will be the first official strike in more than 50 years.

This follows weeks of pay dispute with the chamber, which was prepared to offer an increase of 8% to artisans, miners and officials – depending on the mine and its location – and 10% to Category 4 to Category 8 workers, which Solidarity spokesman Reint Dykema said didn’t come near the demanded increase of 15%.

“Solidarity members are unhappy with the fact that lower levels have been offered than 10 percent, while the artisans are being rebuffed with an 8 percent offer,” he said.

“It appears that artisans are being overlooked when it comes to remuneration, when they should rightly be in the front ranks. Artisans are the backbone of mining.

“The time has come for them to receive proper remuneration for their professional services. Mines will now have to see how long they can manage without artisans, miners and officials.

“The financial position of coal mines is strong at the moment and large expansions are in the offing. By 2009 coal will overtake gold to be the second largest earner after platinum.”