Gold Fields’ new offer to end strike

Gold Fields said yesterday it had offered union members striking at its South Deep mine an increased severance package to try to resolve the dispute which has halted production.

Gold Fields, which employs about 3 600 people in SA, said in August it would restructure its South Deep operations and would cut about 1 100 jobs, nearly a third of the workforce, to save money.

In response, the National Union of Mineworkers went on strike on November 2.

South Deep, the company’s last SA asset, has lost money over the past five years and Gold Fields has been working to mechanise operations in the face of challenging geology 3km below the surface.

The company said its offer, which expires tomorrow, included increasing severance payments by four weeks, or a total of as much as R45 million, funding for skills training and preferential re-employment if positions become available.

“If the offer is not accepted by Friday then it’s difficult to predict how long the strike will continue for,” CEO Nick Holland said.

He also defended the plan to cut jobs after mining minister Gwede Mantashe on Monday criticised Gold Fields for not acting in good faith in talks with the government over the layoffs. – Reuters