20100824
reuters

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Tuesday that its members at a Rio Tinto-BHP Billiton joint venture will go on an indefinite strike from Friday following a wage dispute.

NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said the union had served the Richards Bay Minerals joint venture a 48-hour notice to strike.

The operation has a nominal titanium slag capacity of 1.06 million tonnes per year, according to a BHP Billiton report.

The union, which said it represents around 1,700 workers at the joint venture, is demanding a 10 percent pay rise on a one-year deal for its members at Richards Bay Minerals, while Rio Tinto has offered an 8 percent rise on a three-year deal.

The NUM is also demanding a rise in housing allowance to between 4,000 rand and 6,000 rand, depending on the employee group.

"If Richards Bay Minerals does not want to deliver on our demands, they can rest be assured that the strike will go on forever," Seshoka said.

Nobody at Rio Tinto or BHP was available for comment.

A strike of more than 600 workers at Exxaro's mineral sands unit in South Africa entered its second day on Tuesday, Seshoka said.

Workers at Exxaro's KwaZulu Natal sand units are demanding a 14 percent rise in wages, while the company has offered a pay rise of 8 percent.