NUM wants 84% pay hike for gold workers

ToxicBunny

ToxicBunny

Oi! Leave me out of this...
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Johannesburg - The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) will push for an 84% rise in basic pay for entry-level gold mining workers, a near 10 percentage point increase on previous demands, according to documents obtained by Reuters on Thursday.

They show that the NUM, which represents 57% of the workforce in the gold mining industry, want employers to pay entry-level workers a basic R10 500 a month.

Entry-level gold diggers currently earn around R5 700 per month, not including various allowances structured into their pay packages.

Last month NUM sources had said it would ask for R10 000 for entry-level workers.

The latest demands have been seen by Reuters in official union documents dated April 30 and sent to mining companies body the Chamber of Mines.

The demands, which come as the SA Reserve Bank worries about the economic impact of pay rises above the current 4.8% rate of inflation, will set the stage for tough negotiations and a potentially protracted dispute with the gold mining companies.

Profit margins in the industry are under pressure, with global commodity prices hit by a strengthening dollar and demand weakened by an economic slowdown in China.

The spot gold price is currently at just over $1 204 an ounce, over 30% down from its historic peak of $1 920 in September 2011.

Rising electricity costs and falling output linked to labour stoppages, have added to the gold industry's woes.

Meanwhile rival union Amcu, which led a five-month strike last year in the platinum sector, said last week it would seek a monthly wage of R12 500 ($1 045) for entry-level workers in the gold sector.

Demands by the NUM union also include a 15% increase in pay for miners, artisans and officials across the board, as well as rises in living, medical and meal allowances.
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http://www.fin24.com/Economy/Labour/News/NUM-wants-84-pay-hike-for-gold-workers-20150522

Wonder how long its going to be before the mines just close down permanently if this keeps going.
 
ToxicBunny said:
Wonder how long its going to be before the mines just close down permanently if this keeps going.
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All of the mines are busy shutting down there are articles all the time. The workers will get what they want in the short term but their long term prospects are looking pretty bleak.
 
Heading should read , NUM wants to destroy gold industry in south africa.
 
Beachless said:
All of the mines are busy shutting down there are articles all the time. The workers will get what they want in the short term but their long term prospects are looking pretty bleak.
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Trading Short term gains for long term losses
 
Its short term losses for them anyway..

They won't get their 84% without a long protracted strike, where they don't get paid and have to take out short term loans... so at the end of it, once they get their 84% increase, they end up taking home less money than previously thanks to having to pay back all the loans.
 
ToxicBunny said:
Its short term losses for them anyway..

They won't get their 84% without a long protracted strike, where they don't get paid and have to take out short term loans... so at the end of it, once they get their 84% increase, they end up taking home less money than previously thanks to having to pay back all the loans.
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Yes, and it still doesn't compute in their brains.... proves they are bottom-of-the-barrel in the IQ department
 
Not sure what these idiots are smoking, but I want some too.

Just trying to think how my boss would react to a request for an 80% increase... :erm:
 
McT said:
Not sure what these idiots are smoking, but I want some too.

Just trying to think how my boss would react to a request for an 80% increase... :erm:
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Mine would tell me to go get f**ked!!!
 
I think the work they do and the danger of the job, R10k is a disgrace.

First impression of headline makes you see red but when you look at the salary, it is not much for the work they do.

Must be hell underground............
 
Musicmp3 said:
I think the work they do and the danger of the job, R10k is a disgrace.

First impression of headline makes you see red but when you look at the salary, it is not much for the work they do.

Must be hell underground............
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Hell underground? I don't think they dig that deep.

Mine workers get paid a basic salary. To that there are a number of bonuses that may be added based on production etc. And then you can factor in board and lodging.
 
If we think the platinum strike in the Rustenburg area was bad, then this will make that strike looks like a picnic.

#self-entitlement
 
Musicmp3 said:
I think the work they do and the danger of the job, R10k is a disgrace.

First impression of headline makes you see red but when you look at the salary, it is not much for the work they do.

Must be hell underground............
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Ok so lets do the maths...

Currently the lowest level employee earns R5700 basic salary.
On top of that, they get meals, housing allowances and medical aid, bonus's and overtime, along with a few other benefits. Most of the guys are earning well over R10k once you take into account the beneifts they get.

Do not just accept the numbers that the Unions are pushing out as being the complete truth.
 
Musicmp3 said:
I think the work they do and the danger of the job, R10k is a disgrace.

First impression of headline makes you see red but when you look at the salary, it is not much for the work they do.

Must be hell underground............
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Nothing is stopping them from upskilling and finding a less physically-demanding job. Manual, unskilled labour is cheap. If they don't want the job, I'm sure there are many unemployed people who would be lining up do it...
 
Musicmp3 said:
I think the work they do and the danger of the job, R10k is a disgrace.

First impression of headline makes you see red but when you look at the salary, it is not much for the work they do.

Must be hell underground............
Click to expand...

I can guarantee you non of the guys with comments here have actually been underground in a normal mine and experienced even half of what these miners go through everyday of their lives,if they had to do it just once they would automatically side with the miners.

I've been there for just a few hours in a fully operational mine and it took its toll on my body,the heat,the damp,the air etc...when you see the look on those poor miners faces when they come up after a shift you can see that they wont last that long in a job like that,they probably only last a few years and then have to move on because their bodies cant take it anymore.

But yeah the Mine managers/execs makes millions a year and we shouldn't give these guys half decent wages for giving blood and sweat to make that mine work for a limited time that they can?

Mining cant be compared to any normal labour jobs.
 
NUM hacked and shot workers who wanted a big increase at Lonmin Marikana. Today it's them demanding the same thing and trying to be pro-workers. Hypocrites.
 
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