Rand Refinery: ‘Work as usual’ despite Numsa strike

RAND Refinery, which has processed about one-third of the world’s gold since 1920, plans to keep normal operations during a strike started by some of its workers last week. The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), representing about 35 percent of workers at the operations in Johannesburg, went on strike on Wednesday, Rand Refinery spokeswoman Carina Morgan said yesterday, adding that the action followed a failed mediation over wage negotiations. Workers were demanding a 10 percent increase over the next two years, with the company offering 9 percent in the first year and 7 percent in the second and third years, Miningmx reported, citing a union official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The union also wanted a ban on polygraph tests, which had resulted in the dismissal of workers over missing gold, it said. Jacob Xilongo, a regional secretary for Numsa, said he could not immediately comment. Rand Refinery’s shareholders include AngloGold Ashanti, Sibanye Gold, Harmony Gold Mining and Gold Fields. – Bloomberg