The deal, signed on Thursday, 20 September 2018, puts to an end to two months of negotiations
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has signed a three-year wage agreement with AngloGold Ashanti.
NUM had declared a dispute with the Minerals Council of South Africa, in August 2018.
“It is a sad day in South Africa. Gold producers have not shown any seriousness. It is time now that we stop keeping our members in suspense. We have reached a deadlock. It is the end of the road”, they had said at the time.
The same agreement was signed by Solidarity, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) and UASA earlier this week.
According to the agreement, salaries for surface and underground workers who fall in the categories 4-8 will all get R1,000 in increases while officials, artisans and miners will receive a 6.5 percent wage hike.
NUM said, however, negotiations are ongoing between the remaining three mining companies; Harmony, Sibanye Stillwater and Village Main Reef.
“The NUM can confirm that negotiations are still going on. The NUM will be meeting again with these companies next week (26 September 2018) through facilitation by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA)”, the union said in a statement.
“We thank our members for giving us a mandate to sign this wage agreement. The life for better wages and better conditions is a life and death struggle. The NUM will continue waging a relentless struggle to improve better wages and working conditions of all mineworkers in South Africa”
Thabo Baloyi
t.baloyi@politicalanalysis.co.za
