ANGLO American Platinum (Amplats) has agreed a new five-year wage deal, said Bloomberg News citing the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (AMCU).
The deal could be signed this week and would be effective from July, Jeff Mphahlele, general secretary for AMCU told the newswire.
“The agreement has been reached in-principle and we are about to sign the offer with Anglo,” Mphahlele said. “We are just dealing with the final wording of the agreement itself,” he said.
Amplats is making “good progress with this year’s wage negotiations,” spokeswoman Nomonde Ndwalaza is quoted to have said.
Amplats has agreed to give its workers a monthly increase of R1,100 in the first year of the deal, rising to R1,500 in the fifth year, Mphahlele said. AMCU has been holding joint negotiations with its former rival, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), said Bloomberg News.
Impala Platinum (Implats) has also proposed a five-year wage deal and an agreement may be reached soon, Mphahlele said. Talks with the unions are “constructive,” spokesman Johan Theron told the newswire.
“It’s in everybody’s interest to secure an agreement for an extended period of time,” Theron added. “It helps bring stability and the employer knows what the labour cost is going to be. It’s easier to make long-term plans.”
Sibanye-Stillwater is due to start its wage talks on June 1.
The company is currently embroiled in a strike at its gold mines called by the NUM and AMCU which are demanding a monthly increase of R1,150 for entry-level employees.
