BRONWEN ROBERTS, Johannesburg | Friday 9.45am
SOME 10000 coal and gold miners are all due back at work on Friday after wage settlements were reached to end a week-long strike, the Chamber of Mines said on Thursday.
The miners stopped work last Friday at South Africa’s two main coal producers and a handful of minor gold mines after a stalemate in wage talks. The National Union of Mineworkers and Anglo Coal, which owns nine mines, settled on an 8% wage increase on Thursday, said the chamber, which represents several mining houses.
Over 4000 workers from the four collieries owned by Ingwe were due back at work Thursday after reaching a similar settlement earlier in the week. Agreements with the other mines have also been concluded, the chamber said. NUM had initially demanded a 9% raise for its members and rejected management’s 7,5% offer.
In terms of the settlement, next year’s wage increases will be 1% above the inflation rate of 1999.
Figures were not available for the impact of the strike, the chamber said. South Africa is the world’s sixth largest coal producer and exports of the fuel are one of the country’s top earners. Meanwhile, the country’s 12 public sector unions are due to meet government on Friday to resume wage talks. –AFP