The National Union of Mineworkers had successfully negotiated a three-year wage agreement with several coal producers, averting a sector-wide strike that could have affected power supply, the companies said on Thursday. The union reached the deal, which varies for each coal producer, after saying in October that it would call a strike if wage demands were not met by the Chamber of Mines, which has been representing mining firms in pay talks, including Anglo American Coal, Exxaro and Glencore. A strike in the coal sector could have affected the nation’s power supply, as most of the power in SA is generated from the fuel. For the lowest-paid workers at five of the six companies, the agreement included an increase ranging from R850 to R1,100 for 2017, an increase of between 6% to 7.5% in 2018 and an increase ranging between 7% and 8.5% in the final year, the head of employment relations at the Chamber of Mines, Motsamai Motlhamme, said. For the sixth company, Delmas Coal, the agreement...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.