Miningmx reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) confirmed on Thursday it had signed a new, three-year agreement with coal mining members of the Chamber of Mines.  

But the agreement did not cover Kangra Coal, where a strike is due to start on Friday after the union issued a 48-hour strike notice on Wednesday.  The agreement, which is effective from June or July 2017 depending on the employee category and mine, is broadly for a 7.5% or inflation plus a percent – whichever is the greater – for lower employee categories in the first year.  But there are subtle differences, especially in the agreement’s subsequent years.  According to the NUM, previous plans by the Chamber members to depart from centralised bargaining for the next set of coal wage negotiations has been ditched.  Negotiations would accordingly be conducted through the Chamber, although it seems on face value that coal miners are being allowed to negotiate slight variations depending on the mine.  The agreement averts a planned sector strike that was initially due to kick off on 19 November.  The planned strike at Kangra’s operations will begin at 11am on 24 November and will include every shift that follows.

• Read this report by David McKay in full at Miningmx

Read too, NUM signs three-year wage agreement with coal producers, at Mining Weekly

Read the NUM’s press statement in this regard at Cosatu Today

Read the NUM’s press statement about the Kangra strike at NUM online

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page