Miningmx reports that a coal sector wage strike affecting as much as half of SA’s production, which was due to commence on Sunday (19 November), seems to have been averted for the time being after producers submitted new proposals.  

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) confirmed that fresh proposals had been received from the coal mining companies, which are represented by the Chamber of Mines.  “There will be a plenary session on Monday (20 November).  Depending on what the offer is, there’s a chance the NUM would accept it,” said NUM spokeman Livhuwani Mammburu.  No details of the new offer were available, but Mammburu said they could be “tempting”.  The union has demanded a R1,100 once off payment for the 2017 year and an 8% salary improvement for 2018 for certain job grades.  A 9.5% lift has been demanded for the third year of the proposed three-year wage deal.  The Chamber’s previous offer for ‘larger’ companies such as Glencore and Anglo American Coal had been a staggered increase of R1,100 for the first year of the deal for lower-paid employees and an increase of 7.5% for the higher categories.  The smaller companies had offered increases ranging from 5% to 7.5%.

• Read this report by David McKay in full at Miningmx

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