Solidarity only wants 10% hike from mines

Johannesburg - Trade union Solidarity, which represents mostly skilled workers, said on Monday it was seeking 10% pay increases for its members from the country's gold and coal producers in upcoming wage talks.

Gideon du Plessis, the union's general secretary, told Reuters there had been a "gentleman's agreement" that Solidarity's members would be rewarded for continuing to work last year in difficult circumstances during a wave of violent wildcat strikes led by other unions.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is seeking pay rises of 15% to 60% from gold and coal companies.

NUM said it was seeking an entry-level minimum monthly wage of R7 000 for gold and coal surface workers and R8 000 for those underground in a submission to the Chamber of Mines.

Elize Strydom, the industrial relations advisor at the Chamber of Mines, said the minimum wage for surface workers was currently R4 700 and for underground miners it was about R5 000, so the demands for the latter were 60%.

NUM also said it wanted 15% increases for "all other wage categories", or more experienced and skilled workers.

Sliding precious metals prices have raised the pressure on miners as they ready for pay talks.