STRIKE IS NO LONGER PROTECTED

SIBANYE-STILLWATER said yesterday that a strike by workers affiliated to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) was no longer protected, because employees were bound by the collective bargaining unit agreement and were expected to report to work this weekend. The mining company said this after extending the wage agreement agreed to with three other unions to all employees at its South African gold operations. In October, Sibanye signed a three-year deal with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Uasa and Solidarity regarding wages and conditions of service for the period July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2021. The agreement allows for increases to the basic wage of category 4-8 surface and underground employees of R700 a month in the first year, R700 a month in the second year and R825 a month in the third year. Miners, artisans and officials will receive increases of 5.5 percent in year one and 5.5 percent or the consumer inflation rate, whichever is the greater, in years two and three. However, about 15 000 Amcu members went on strike three weeks ago. | African News Agency (ANA)