Sibanye Gold confirmed Monday it had received acceptance from the Associated Mineworkers' and Construction Union of a new pay deal that avoids a costly strike at its South African operations but angers rival union the National Union of Mineworkers.
Thousands of AMCU members voted unanimously on Sunday to accept the new three-year wage deal put on the table last week in last-ditch talks. The union planned to call out 40% of the 45,000 workers at Sibanye on last Wednesday, but suspended the strike in favor of talks.
The deal promises an increase of Rand 25 (around $1.69) a month for the first two years and Rand 75 for the third year to bring entry level pay up to Rand 800 a month.
"The deal is accepted by AMCU and all we are waiting for is a signing ceremony to be announced by the union," Sibanye Gold spokesman James Wellsted said.
"There is nothing standing in the way of this deal and we expect to sign at a ceremony later this week," AMCU spokesman Manzini Zungu.
The NUM has been angered by the deal, which trumps the settlement they, Solidarity and UASA, signed in 2015, at the gold wage negotiations.
"The National Union of Mineworkers is extremely angry and disturbed that Sibanye Gold made an offer to their baby AMCU of Rand 25 on top of the gold sector wage agreement that was signed in 2015. This is being done outside the collective bargaining forum at the Chamber of Mines," the NUM said in a statement.
