The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said yesterday that workers in the coal sector would go on strike following failed wage negotiations. These are the people that have to make sure Eskom has enough coal to keep on providing electricity to the country.  Their bosses offered a seven percent increase, while they thought 14% was fairer.

According to spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka, after talks reached a deadlock they obtained a strike certificate and plan to go ahead with a “powerful” strike.

“We cannot accept a seven percent increase. We have totally rejected it because that is not according to our mandate. The only way to increase the wage offer is to have a powerful strike. A powerful strike is a strike that lasts more than a week. It must take many weeks for a strike to work with as much members as possible.”

The good news is that Eskom has said it has enough coal in stock to last 41 days. The bad news is that I don’t believe it for one second.

[Source: News24]