Trade unions sign wage deal with miner Sibanye-Stillwater
Image: Alaister Russell
Two trade unions signed a three-year wage agreement with miner Sibanye-Stillwater on June 11, one of the unions said on Sunday, removing the last hurdle to restarting operations at its gold mines.
The National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) had agreed on a wage deal with the company on June 3 after almost three months of strike action, but did not sign an agreement as finer aspects of the deal were being negotiated.
Sibanye, which also mines platinum group metals in SA and the US, said on Friday certain terms in the draft agreement had not been agreed by the parties, and as a result they were not allowed to return to work.
Sibanye had locked out its employees from its gold operations since the strike began in early March.
“The wage agreement, signed late on Saturday morning, ends a three-month strike called by the Num and Amcu on March 8,” the Num said in a statement.
Sibanye did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.