[miningmx.com] – HARMONY Gold urged workers to return to work for the September 8 night-shift after agreeing to wage increases the company said was ‘in line’ with other agreements between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and gold producers last week.
Graham Briggs, CEO of Harmony Gold, warned however that a prolonged delay in returning to work would make the agreement untenable.
Village Main Reef, AngloGold Ashanti and Sibanye Gold among others have agreed a basic salary increase of 8% with members of the NUM which accounts for about two-thirds of total employees in the country’s gold sector.
“Harmony increased its offer in respect of wages and benefits in line with other producers, in the interests of long term industrial relations stability, safety and security in the sector, and on condition that employees returned to work,’ Briggs said in a statement on Sunday.
“But’, he indicated, “continued industrial action will make this increase unaffordable, and place the future viability of some of our operations under threat. This, in turn, could have an impact on jobs.’
The NUM embarked on industrial action on 3 September, which has affected all but Harmony’s Kusasalethu mine.
