A leading South African union revealed yesterday (15th October) that it has agreed a new pay deal with its workers at Northam Platinum.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) confirmed that an 11.5 per cent wage increase was due to be signed by employees later on during the day.

As part of the one-year arrangement, the NUM members will see their night and afternoon shift allowances increase by one per cent to six and ten per cent respectively.

Zwelitsha Tantsi, the union's Chief Negotiator, said: "We believe that we have scored a reasonable increment for our members.

"We are grateful of our achievement as this means we have scored a real increment of over five per cent above the inflation. This will assist workers greatly as food and public transport costs have risen sky-high."

Mr Tantsi also confirmed that the deal will be backdated to start from July 2009.

Wage talks in South Africa are viewed with great interest by the pgm industry because if they break down and strike action follows, production will inevitably be affected.

Northam Platinum is currently aiming to develop the Booysendal site on the western limb of the Bushveld Complex, which has been described as a world-class platinum resource.

Source:

SA union agrees one-year wage deal with Northam (15/10/09)

SAfrica union, Northam Platinum to sign pay deal (15/10/09)

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