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THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 10 2012 07:46 | LAST UPDATED Feb 10 2012 07:46 |
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The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called off a strike over wages at diamond miner De Beers. NUM negotiator Peter Bailey said on Thursday an agreement had been reached. "We reached an agreement in principle at 12.20pm this [Thursday] afternoon. We have accepted an increase of 12% for 12 months." The wage agreement will be effective from May 1 this year, Bailey said. De Beers spokesperson Tom Tweedy confirmed the strike had been called off, and said the company would later issue a statement detailing the wage settlement. The NUM, which represents 3 400 workers at De Beers, had announced a one-day strike beginning on Thursday evening to press its demands for a 13,5% wage increase. De Beers, which is 45% owned by mining group Anglo American, had offered 11% over two years. The union called for the strike after an arbitration authority failed to successfully mediate the wage dispute. Miners in South Africa have been demanding double-digit wage increases to soften the blow of rising fuel, food and electricity prices and a string of interest-rate hikes that have made house and car loans more expensive.  CONTINUES BELOW Workers across the country have started a series of rolling strikes to protest the cost of living. The powerful Congress of South African Trade Unions is spurring the protests, which will culminate in a national strike next month. -- Reuters, Sapa TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
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