JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Richards Bay Minerals (RBM), a joint venture between BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, has increased its wage offer for workers, as negotiations with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) continue.

NUM members downed tools at the mine last week, in protest over wage increases.

RBM on Thursday afternoon said it expected to sign a wage agreement with the workers on Friday.

The company had, in the latest round of negotiations, increased its offer of basic wages in year two and three of a three-year agreement to a guaranteed 7% or consumer price inflation (CPI) plus 1,5%, depending on which amount was higher.

The basic wage increase for year one remained 8%.

Further, the company had offered workers a 5% increase in their monthly housing allowance during year one of the proposed deal, with further increases in line with CPI in years two and three.

NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said that the parties were still negotiating on some other aspects.

He added that workers would also not be returning to work as early as Friday, as the NUM negotiators would first have to take the proposed deal to the members for approval.