Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian

Mineworkers declare dispute with Roodepoort Deep

1 min read

Wage negotiations between the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and junior gold miner Durban Roodepoort Deep (DRD) on Monday collapsed and Num has declared a dispute with the company.

The parties have failed to reach agreement, Num said in a statement, on the following issues:

  • Retirement funds — an increase in the funeral cover from R4 000 to R10 000;

  • Annual leave of 30 days;

  • Housing — removal of discrimination in housing allocations and the minimum of R1 200 as a living out allowance;

  • Comprehensive healthcare scheme to cover for mineworkers and their dependants;

  • Integration of bargaining units;

  • Job grading and wages — DRD is at present offering 2% and 4% for the different operations.

    • The union and the company have an in principle agreement on the following areas:

  • Women in mining — in relation to a six-month, fully paid, maternity leave linked with seven paid days of compassionate leave;

  • Outsourcing — that tenders will be required to provide benefits similar to those offered by the company;

  • A bargaining council for the mining industry.

    • “It is significant that DRD agreed to these issues when other mining houses, especially the big ones, have showed almost reactionary resistance to them — in particular the bargaining council,” Num said.

    “We would hope that the process of having third party facilitation helps both parties to find each other on the outstanding matters,” it added. – I-Net Bridge