By Devon Maylie
JOHANNESBURG--Kumba Iron Ore Ltd. said Friday that its Sishen
iron-ore mine remains closed as striking workers have blocked
access to it.
Kumba said it met representatives of the 300 striking employees
at Sishen, the country's biggest iron-ore mine, late Thursday and
the group demanded the company pay workers an additional 15,000
rand ($2,166) a month.
The mine employs approximately 12,700 people.
A Kumba spokesperson said the company won't engage the
protesters in wage talks and its priority is to clear the mine area
of the strikers to allow production to resume.
South Africa's labor minister, Mildred Oliphant, said earlier
Friday that she is particularly worried about the Kumba strike
because the workers' demands don't make sense and are taking place
outside union control.
Kumba said it concluded a two-year wage agreement with labor
groups two months ago that makes provision for a salary increase of
between 9% and 12%, above the rate of inflation.
Kumba said it has sufficient production from its other mines and
stockpiles of finished product to continue supplying its customers
for some time.
Write to Devon Maylie at devon.maylie@dowjones.com
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