South African unions to sign 3-year wage deal with AngloGold Ashanti

JOHANNESBURG – South African union Solidarity said it will sign a three-year gold sector wage deal with AngloGold Ashanti on Monday along with Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), without providing further details of the agreement.

Gold producers have argued that above-inflation wage hikes have been adding to the cost burden in the bullion industry, which has been hit by depressed prices and labour unrest.

Solidarity, AMCU and UASA have previously declared a dispute with the remaining firms involved in the negotiations, Harmony Gold, Sibanye-Stillwater and smaller producer Village Main Reef, after talks deadlocked.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the largest union in the bullion sector and also involved in negotiations, declared a dispute last month with Minerals Council, which is representing gold producers in the wage talks. When unions declare a dispute, they usually have to go through conciliation talks with the companies concerned mediated by an authority such as the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

Negotiations with the remaining companies under the auspices of the CCMA will continue on Thursday, Solidarity added. –Reuters Africa