NUM reaches three-year wage deal with Ashanti, Harmony

Amcu is still rejecting the terms of the agreement. 

The chamber said the deal covered the period from July 2015 to August 2018 and precluded any labour action linked to terms and conditions of employment for three years.

It will see entry-level miners get an increase of between ten and 13 percent for each of the three years covered, Elize Strydom from the chamber said.

“After months of tough, yet respectful negotiations, we are pleased to have reached an agreement that will make a significant difference to the lives of employees and will ensure the sustainability of the industry as far as possible,” she said.

“The wage settlements reached between the relevant companies and unions are substantial – between 10 percent and 13 percent increase in basic wage for entry-level employees in each of the three years of the agreement. Put differently, for entry-level employees this is an increase of between R25,000 and R30,000 per employee over the three-year period.”

The chamber said a “peace clause” in the agreement would make wage strikes illegal until it expired.

“In terms of the ‘peace clause’ contained in the agreement, there can be no industrial action concerning terms and conditions of employment during the existence of the agreement, as the issue of conditions of employment has been settled for the duration of the agreement, and no demands may be made during the course of the agreement,” Strydom said.

“Accordingly, any industrial action concerning terms and conditions of employment during the existence of the agreement will be in contravention of the ‘peace clause’ and thus unprotected. AngloGold Ashanti and Harmony will engage with all unions, including AMCU, on the implementation of the wage agreement.”

The Association of Mine and Construction Union (AMCU) has rejected the offer. The union, which represents about 30 percent of workers in the mining sector, has been granted a certificate by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, allowing it to call a strike at AngloGold Ashanti, Harmony Gold and Sibanye Gold.

Strydom urged the union to reconsider and recommend to its members to accept the offer, saying this would enable all unions to conclude an agreement with Sibanye Gold.

She stressed that the agreements reached on Friday between AngloGold Ashanti and Harmony and on the other hand the NUM, Solidarity and UASA (United Association of South Africa), were final.

“This is the only deal that will be agreed,” she said. “We cannot and will not negotiate different deals with different parties.”

ANA

File photo: Gallo Images