S. AFRICAN UNION OBJECTS TO PLANNED MATTHEY MOVE
A South African trade union is in
dispute with a subsidiary of Britain's Johnson Matthey Plc over
the company's proposal to move a platinum refinery near
Johannesburg to a black tribal homeland.
    The 30,000-member mainly black Chemical Workers Industrial
Union said it fears the planned move to the Bophuthatswana
homeland, where South African unions are not recognised, could
lead to job losses and affect wages.
    A mass dismissal last year at the Impala Platinum Holdings
Ltd <IPLA.J> mines in the tribal homeland sent world platinum
prices rocketing.

    The union said talks with management over the proposed move
had broken down. It said an earlier ballot of refinery workers
showed that most favoured striking over the move but added that
no final decision had been taken on strike action.
    The refinery processes all platinum metals of Rustenburg
Platinum Holdings Ltd, the world's largest platinum producer.
    It is owned by Matthey Rustenburg Ltd, a joint-subsidiary
of Johnson Matthey and Rustenburg which, in turn, is owned by
mining group Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Co Ltd.
 Reuter
