Workers accept platinum wage deal

Members of the mining community carry food parcels donated by aid organisation, Gift of the Givers, at the Khomanani mine in Rustenburg. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Members of the mining community carry food parcels donated by aid organisation, Gift of the Givers, at the Khomanani mine in Rustenburg. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Published Jun 12, 2014

Share

Rustenburg - Members of trade union Amcu asked their leader Joseph Mathunjwa on Thursday to accept a wage increase of a R1000 each year for the next three years for the lowest paid platinum workers.

“Considering where we come from and where we stand, we commend our president and mandate him to accept the offer,” a shopsteward said at a feedback meeting in Rustenburg.

“The offer should be accepted on condition that Lonmin reinstates all essential workers that were dismissed.”

The increase for artisans and officials will be eight percent in the first year, and 7.5 percent in the remaining two years.

In terms of the proposed agreement, living out allowance will not increase for the period of the agreement.

If agreed upon, the workers are not allowed to strike within the agreed time-period.

Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) members have been on strike at Lonmin, Anglo American Platinum, and Impala Platinum since January 23, demanding a basic monthly salary of R12 500.

They previously rejected the companies' offer that would bring their cash remuneration to R12 500 by July 2017.

Platinum producers said earlier in the day an agreement in principle had been reached with Amcu that its leadership would discuss some proposals with its members.

Mathunjwa told the SABC news on Thursday: “What was decided today is to accept the offer in principle based on some of the issues that have to ironed out by the employers... surely the agreement is imminent.”

Amcu would report back to the companies on Friday.

Sapa

Related Topics: