Following industrial action that has lasted a month and a half by gold miners in South Africa, a mining company, Sibanye-Stillwater on Friday gave South African gold mine workers higher wage offers.
A BBC report says some 80,000 gold miners in South Africa went on a strike to call for higher pay, but their union has significantly scaled down its demands. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is calling for a 10% wage rise, down from earlier demands for increases of up to 60% for some workers. Workers last week rejected an offer of a 6% rise – the same as the current annual rate of inflation.
The latest arrangement by Sibanye-Stillwater offers entry-level employees an annual increase of 850 Rand in a month each year between 2022 and 2024, including a 50 rand increase in living out allowance.
Sibanye previously offered entry-level workers an annual increase of 800 Rand a month, including a 100 rand a month increase in living out allowance. The company’s offer to miners, artisans and officials remains a 5% pay increase each year.
Executive vice president of Sibanye’s South Africa gold operations, Richard Cox “urged employees to carefully consider the offer we have made and to ensure that their voices are heard,”
Trade unions are recognized within the 1996 Constitution of South Africa, which provides for the right to join trade unions, and for unions to collectively bargain and strike. This has translated into the Labour Relations Act which established the working framework for both unions and employers.