Strike ends as NUM, Northam ink two-year wage deal
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Following the acceptance of a Northam Platinum wage offer by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members on Friday, and the subsequent “cleaning up” of the agreement on Monday, the two parties on Tuesday signed a two-year wage deal that ended an almost three-month wage deadlock.
The NUM confirmed in a statement that its members, who had been on strike at Northam’s Zondereinde mine since November 3, would return to work on Wednesday.
Northam estimated its revenue losses as a result of the strike at R749.7-million, while employees were said to have lost R151.7-million in wages.
The wage deal saw Northam improving its offer by 0.5%, resulting in a 9.5% increase for core workers and an 8.5% increase for noncore workers in category 2 to 8. The living-out allowance would increase by 9%.
Category 9 to 10 employees would receive a 8% increase for core employees and a 7.5% increase for noncore employees, while the living-out allowance would increase by 7%.
In addition, a R3 000 once-off payment proposed by Northam management would now be included as an ex gracia payment for 23 months and then added to employees’ basic salaries on the twenty-fourth month.
“This means that workers will receive R125 a month for category 2 to 8 and category 9 to 10, taking the overall increase on basic wages to between 9.8% and 11.8%,” said the union.
Northam CE Glyn Lewis on Tuesday said the focus would now be on ensuring a safe and expeditious return to work and start-up of operations.
Meanwhile, the NUM thanked its members for their discipline during the “tough and difficult industrial action”, adding that violent strikes were unnecessary and should never be allowed to replace dialogue.
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