Business
South Africa: Gold miners sign new deal – labor unrest in sector ends
Striking South African gold miners have signed a pay deal to end months of labor unrest, the country’s main mining union and mine owners said on Thursday.
“Members have accepted a new pay structure,” the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said.
“The worst in the gold sector is over,” spokesman Lesiba Seshoka told AFP.
The Chamber of Mines confirmed its offer of cumulative wage increases of 11 percent to 20.8 percent had been accepted.
On top of a July agreement to up wages, mine owners had offered a deal that will see “pay rates go up from 1.5 percent to 10.8 percent, while entry level wages rise to 5,000 rand (US$ 575.00) up from 4,840 rand, (US$ 557.00)” the NUM said in a statement.
The strikes halted production at numerous mines across the gold mining belt, triggered by the Lonmin platinum mine wage increases of up to 22 percent.
Gold mine owners welcomed the deal.
