JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Trade union Solidarity on Monday secured skilled workers’ inclusion in the peace agreement concluded last week by gold miner Sibanye Gold and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU).
The concession by Sibanye’s management on the post-wage agreement deal was a victory for collective bargaining, said Solidarity general secretary Gideon du Plessis.
The union, which had met with Sibanye on Monday, secured an additional pay increase for employees at the job levels of miners, artisans and officials, in line with the higher wage deal agreed to by Sibanye and AMCU last week for the unions’ members at job levels 4 to 8.
AMCU members employed at Sibanye would receive an additional R25 a month on top of the wage increases agreed to with other unions last year.
Solidarity, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Uasa had reached a wage agreement with Sibanye in October 2015, for a R675 a month increase for the first two years and R725 a month increase in the third year.
Last week’s agreement between AMCU and Sibanye had solicited disappointment from Solidarity and the NUM over the concessions made by Sibanye to AMCU outside of the bargaining structures after allegedly stating it would not.
“We were particularly concerned about the precedent created by the peace agreement with AMCU. However, today’s talks between Solidarity and Sibanye prove that peaceful and constructive discussions around the negotiating table, rather than violence and threats, can lead to a favourable agreement,” Du Plessis said.