Mining Weekly reports that coal producers and trade unions have agreed that the 2017 coal sector wage negotiations will take place centrally under the auspices of the Chamber of Mines (CoM).
Anglo Coal, Delmas Coal, Exxaro Coal Mpumalanga, Kangra Coal, Koornfontein Mines and Glencore met with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), UASA and Solidarity on 2 June 2017 to discuss the future structure and form of wage negotiations in the coal sector, amid threats of a strike owing to disagreements. In addition to agreeing that the 2017 wage negotiations would take place centrally, the parties agreed to conclude a Framework Agreement that would govern the wage negotiations process. They further agreed to a parallel process to concurrently conclude company-level recognition agreements. The unions are expected to submit wage demands shortly. The producers announced in February that they had decided to decentralise wage negotiations, thus enabling each mine to conclude its own wage increases, but this was rejected by the unions, causing a sector deadlock that threatened to result in a strike.
- Read this report in full at Mining Weekly
- See too, Anglo, Glencore agree to centralised coal wage negotiations, at Miningmx
- Read the Chamber’s press statement in this regard at SA Labour News
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page