The National Union of Mineworkers representing over 12,000 workers at Lonmin announced that it has finally reached an agreement on wages with the platinum producer.

It said an agreement had been reached after many months of engagement that had seen the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration having to intervene in the dispute.

The NUM said that “The parties have now agreed on an 8% wage increment as well as a once off bonus of ZAR 850 payable within five days from yesterday. The increment on wages will be backdated to 1st October 2010.”

The union added that “The NUM's original demand was 12%. The parties went to the CCMA after being unable to find a resolution on their own with NUM being at 11% and Lonmin being at 7%.”

The union concluded that “The National Union of Mineworkers cautions employers in the mining industry and elsewhere where wage talks will commence for 2011 to note that the Lonmin agreement is for 2010 and therefore should not benchmark themselves with it. The employers must be prepared and ready to come up with something far better than the Lonmin agreed percentages for 2011.”

Mr Erick Gcilitshana chief negotiator at Lonmin said that “It has been a very tough negotiation cycle for all of us. We are happy and proud of our achievement for 2010.”

(Sourced from www.iol.co.za)