Gold Field’s South Deep mine agrees to hike wages by 6.5%

Gold Fields’ South Deep mine in Westonaria, has agreed to hike wages by an average 6.5 percent a year over the three-year period with the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and the United Association of South Africa (Uasa). Photo: REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo

Gold Fields’ South Deep mine in Westonaria, has agreed to hike wages by an average 6.5 percent a year over the three-year period with the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and the United Association of South Africa (Uasa). Photo: REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo

Published Jun 13, 2021

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GOLD Fields’ South Deep mine in Westonaria, has agreed to hike wages by an average 6.5 percent a year over the three-year period with the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and the United Association of South Africa (Uasa).

South Deep said on Friday the agreement also comprised of a range of non-wage related issues including an alignment of leave and shift arrangements and changes to other conditions of employment with a view to standardise them across all occupational levels.

The Num’s Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging (PWV) regional chairperson, Ndlela Radebe, said the wage hike would go a long way in improving the livelihoods of workers and their families, while sustaining the business and ensuring sustainable job security.

“Considering the difficult circumstances South Africa and the world are facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are satisfied with the settlement we have entered into,” Radebe said.

Uasa’s divisional manager and chief negotiator Franz Stehring noted, “Given the prevailing economic climate and the bullish commodity market, the settlement reached with South Deep Gold Mine through constructive engagements sets a benchmark for other mining companies.”

Gerrit Lotz, VP people and organisational effectiveness at South Deep, said: “The settlement agreement is fair and balanced, taking into account the impact that increases in cost of living are likely to have on employees over the next three years and the future sustainability of our mine. We commend all parties for the constructive manner in which the negotiations have taken place.”

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