JOHANNESBURG: The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and British gold mining company Goldfields unveiled a three year wage deal that will raise the pay of the lowest paid workers by 21.46 percent from April 1 this year.
“This deal is a game changer, we hope we can secure similar increases for our other members,” said acting NUM national spokesman Livhuwani Mammburu. Mammburu said NUM was hoping the Goldfields wage deal could set the tone for upcoming labour negotiations in the mining sector.
In terms of the deal, the lowest paid four categories of workers at Gold Fields South Deep mine will see their wages rise by 21.46 percent by April this year, 14.47 percent next year, and by 12.97 percent the following year. Artisans and officials will see an eight percent increase in their pay this year, eight percent next year and nine percent in April 2017.