MONDAY, 10.30AM
THE National Union of Mineworkers, involved in gold industry wage negitiations with the Chamber of Mines, on Friday rejected a major element of the Chamber’s ground-breaking three-year wage offer, described by employers as designed to deal with a major crisis in the industry.
NUM general secretary Kgalema Motlanthe said the union had rejected the “conditionalities” of the offer, but expressed optimism for the future of the negotiations. “At the opening rounds it is always difficult for the two sides to find each other, but I am confident we will reach a settlement.”
The Chamber’s proposal, applicable to the whole gold mining industry except certain marginal mines and JCI mines, envisages an increased minimum wage of R1 000 for surface workers and R1 150 for underground workers from July 1, with underground workers receiving R1 450 from mid-1999. The increases in minimum wages would total up to 33% for workers at the lowest-paying mines, while higher-paid workers would receive 9% increases each year for the three years.
The offer is conditional, however, on unions committing themselves to a flexible work calendar that would enable mines to operate every day except public holidays. Unions would also have to commit themselves to other reorgansiation initiatives, including restructuring of jobs fore multiskilling and multitasking to increase operational efficiencies.