NUM submitted key wage demands to gold sector employers

Press Statement, 20 May 2021

NUM SUBMITTED KEY WAGE DEMANDS TO GOLD SECTOR EMPLOYERS

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) confirms it has submitted its consolidated key wage demands for the years 2021 to 2023 to the gold sector employers yesterday.

The NUM has mandated the gold sector negotiating team to go all out and negotiate for good wages. The team met yesterday in an organised workshop to consolidate the demands.

It will be for the first time in the history of bargaining in the gold sector that we will be negotiating with companies on an individual basis, outside of the traditional centralised collective bargaining council.

The NUM will be expecting arrogance from employers as they will come up with so many excuses. The NUM will meet them with the required militancy.

"Our negotiating team is ready. We have submitted our key demands and we will await dates from the gold sector employers. We believe that our demands are fairly reasonable and could be easily met by the employers, said NUM Acting General Secretary William Mabapa.

THE NUM GOLD SECTOR KEY DEMANDS FOR 2021 TO 2023 ARE AS FOLLOWED:

1. SALARY INCREASE

1. 1.1. The NUM demands 15% across the board.

2. 1.2. The NUM further demands a minimum of R15 000.00.

3. 1.3. The NUM demands that GRP must be optional.

2. SEVERANCE PACKAGE

The NUM demands that the minimum for the Severance Package be R150 000.00 or 4 weeks per year of service.

3. MEDICAL AID

The NUM demands that Medical Aid contributions of 80% by employers and 20% by employees.

4. EMPLOYEE SHARE OWNERSHIP PLAN SCHEME (ESOPS)

* 4.1 NUM demands that dividends be paid annually.

* 4.2 NUM further demands that annual allocation must be more than R50 000.00.

5. ROLLING UP LOWER BAND/CATEGORIES

5.1 NUM demands that A band be abolished and the minimum category be B. • Loader operator to be rolled up from B1 to B3

6. WAGE GAP

NUM demands that the wage gap must be closed with a 10% difference in-between categories.

7. INCAPACITY/ILL-HEALTH AGREEMENTS

NUM demands an Incapacity/Ill-health minimum of R150 000.00.

8. MATERNITY LEAVE

NUM demands that maternity leave of six (6) months maternity leave with full pay.

9. ANNUAL LEAVE

NUM demands paid leave from 30 to 35 days.

10. PATERNITY LEAVE

NUM demand that for 10 paid days;

11. HOUSING ALLOWANCE

11.1 NUM demands that all Living out Allowance be harmonized to Housing Allowance to R5000 minimum and those above increase with the same percentage with the wage increase.

11.2 NUM demands that all employers must comply with the mining charter on the housing plan (policy).

12. STAND-BY ALLOWANCE

NUM demands that the minimum stand-by allowance must be R5000.00 per month.

13. CALL OUT ALLOWANCE

NUM demands that a call out of R500 per call is paid.

14. BELT RIDING ALLOWANCE

NUM demands that R2000.00 per month be paid for as a Belt Riding Allowance.

15. CHILD CARE FACILITIES

NUM demands that where there were Child Care Facilities, they must be revived and where there is none, they must be established.

16. LONG SERVICE AWARDS

NUM demands that Long Service Awards must be paid in an interval of five (5) years and the minimum must be R10 000.00, meaning that ten (10) years of service will be R20 000.00.

17. HARMONIZATION/EQUALIZATION

NUM demand that the salaries, allowances and benefits of RDO’s should be harmonized/equalized in all the mines, Equal pay for equal value;

18. SERVICE INCREMENT

NUM demands that 2% be paid in the quest to implement Equal pay for equal work of the same value.

19. MEAL INTERVAL

NUM demands an amount equal to R150.00 per day or R1000 per month for Meal Interval.

20. UNDERGROUND ALLOWANCE

NUM demands that 10% per month be paid as Underground Allowance.

21. FUNERAL BENEFITS

NUM demands that Funeral Benefits must be increased from R40 000.00 to R60 000.00.

22. SUNDAY PREMIUM

NUM demand a Sunday premium of 10%.

23. SUB CONTRACTING

NUM demands that sub-contractors agreement must be implemented as previously agreed only the scare skills contractors will be allowed.

24. SKILLS RETENTION/REGIONAL/MARKETING ALLOWANCE

NUM demand skills retention of R4600.00.

25. HEALTH AND SAFETY COVID-19 LEAVE

NUM demands 10 days COVID-19 leave.

For more information, please contact:

William Mabapa, NUM Acting General Secretary, 082 880 4439
Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 083 809 3257
Luphert Chilwane, NUM Media Officer, 083 809 3255

The National Union of Mineworkers
7 Rissik Street.
Cnr Frederick Johannesburg
Tel: 011 377 2111 Cell: 083 809 3257
Twitter: @Num_Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NUM/100860023402167