Mining Weekly reports that ahead of the planned start of strike action by many employees of Sibanye-Stillwater’s SA gold mines from the evening shift on Wednesday, CEO Neal Froneman has remained steadfast, stating that the offer made on 4 February in an attempt to reach agreement on wages was “final”.

“Wage increases that are higher than inflation are not sustainable and cannot be considered,” he stated on Tuesday. Froneman insisted the offer was fair in that it took into consideration current inflationary living costs, and considered the sustainability of the company’s SA gold operations and the interests of all stakeholders for the long term. Wage negotiations between the company and workers represented by four unions – Amcu, NUM, Solidarity and Uasa – have been ongoing since June last year. Solidarity has accepted Sibanye’s latest wage offer, but Amcu and the NUM intend to proceed with strike action. Under the terms of the latest offer, Category 4 to 8 employees would receive an average increase of 6% in the first year, 5.7% in the second year, and then 5.4% in the third year of the agreement. This would amount to employees receiving a monthly pay rise each year of R800 which would include a R100 increase in the living out allowance each year. So-called ‘miners, artisans and officials’ would receive a flat increase of 5% year-on-year for the three years.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly

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