This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
Financial Mail writes about the agreement reached between Sibanye Gold and the Association of Mining & Construction Workers (Amcu), which averted a strike at the gold producer’s operations.
Amcu refused to sign October’s three-year wage agreement between the Chamber of Mines representing gold producers and other trade unions. Though an agreement signed by the majority applies to all other workers, Amcu claimed it was the majority union at Sibanye’s operations and its members wanted more. Its members gave the mandate to strike at a meeting on 4 April. On Sunday, Amcu agreed to halt the strike, accepting an additional R25/month. The other unions were not happy. But, whether Sibanye’s decision will have negative consequences, particularly for upcoming platinum wage talks, is doubtful. It will cost Sibanye only R13.2m more a year for its 44,000 workers, which is cheaper than a long strike. Since massive job losses followed the last wage strike, platinum industry workers are in a weak negotiating position.
- Read this report by Charlotte Mathews in full at Financial Mail
- Read too, NUM sets bargaining conditions for Sibanye and ropes Chamber of Mines in, at Business Report
- And also, Sibanye on its own, says Chamber of Mines, at The New Age
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page