A wage agreement between South African mining giant Anglo Platinum
and eight unions has been hailed as a ‚historic triumph‘, by the
mine’s management, as well as union representatives.
The agreement, which was signed during a press conference in
August, was the result of protracted negotiations, bringing some 35
000 employee wage adjustments and better conditions of employment,
for a two-year period ending June 30, 2004.
The deal was negotiated by Anglo and the Building, Motor,
Engineering Allied Workers Union (BMEAWU), MWU (Solidarity),
Mouthpeace Workers Union (MPWU), National Employees Trade Union
(NETU),mining equipment manufacturers canada National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA),
National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Steel Mining and Commercial
Workers Union (STEMCWU) and United Association of South Africa
(UASA).
Under the agreement, minimum wages were adjusted to R2 000 a month
(from July 1, 2002) for all categories and R2 30reviews of keene gold spiral wheel0 a month for
underground workers from July 1, 2003.
Across-the-board salary increases of 9,8% for 2002/3 and 9,25% for
2003/4 were also agreed.
Furthermore, the agreement ensured improvements in housing rent and
bond schemes for mine workers.
An increase in minimum leave for surface employbuilding a mobile screen or crusherees to 28 calendar
days a year, and minimum underground leave to 30 calendar days a
year, was also guaranteed.
Harmonisation of a number of shift/standby allowances, as well as
overtime rates, sick, accident and family responsibility leave and
arrangements pertaining to the introduction of an agency shop were
agreed upon in twet grinder models with priceerms of the deal.
Both parties also reached agreement regarding joint investigation
into issues of subcontracting and outsourcing, structuring of
remuneration packages and further harmonisation of conditions of
service, as well as the joint development of a framework to deal
with HIV/Aids.
„This agreement is the first ever to be concluded in a central
bargaining process that involves all eight union parties,
representing the interests of employees in all bargaining units
across the Mines Division and Process Division, together with the
management of Anglo Platinum,“ said a joint statement released by
the mine and the unions.
„This process is in accordance with an employee relations policy
concluded jointly between the parties earlier this year, in terms
of which a fundamental restructuring of relationships has occurred,
based on the principle of partnership between Anglo Platinum and
the employee representative bodies.“ The statement also said the
substantive changes to conditions of employment represent an
important step in the process of harmonising conditions of
employment across all categories of workers in all bargaining
units.
„The agreement lays the foundation for two years of industrial
stability while simultaneously giving the parties a range of
further key issues to be dealt with in preparation for future
negotiations,“ the statement said.
„Finally, despite the complexity of a negotiation process involving
the interests of eight union parties and the Anglo Platinum
management team, the representatives of all parties showed a depth
of strategic maturity to continuously search for the all-inclusive
settlement which builds on the best traditions of collective
bargaining in South Africa.“