By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) have accepted a deal thrashed out by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
The deal put an end to the three-month long strike at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold operations.
At a mass meeting on Friday members of the two biggest unions representing workers — gave the union leadership a mandate to accept a three-year wage proposal made by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to the parties.
Although the workers wanted R1,000 increases over three years, they only managed to secure that in the first year.
The CCMA proposal to the parties includes that category four to eight employees will receive an increase of R1 000 in year 1 (amounting to a 7.7% increase); R900 in year 2 (amounting to a 6.5% increase); and R750 in year 3 (amounting to a 5.2% increase), while miners, artisans and officials will receive an increase of 5% in year 1; 5.5% (or CPI if CPI is between 5% and 5.5%) in year 2; and 5% in year 3.
In addition, category four to eight employees will receive a one-off hardship allowance payment of R3 000, of which R1 200 will be a cash payment to employees and R1 800 will be allocated to the reduction of debt or loans owing to the company.
For the agreement to be binding and in order for the lock-out to be lifted, the agreement must be formally concluded by Sibanye and the leadership of AMCU and the NUM. This is expected to take place early next week.
The final agreement will be extended to all employees in the bargaining unit, including members of UASA and Solidarity.