“The average basic wages for category 4-8 employees have increased by more than 65% since Sibanye-Stillwater was unbundled from Gold Fields in 2013. This is significantly above inflation and represents a very real improvement in the standard of living of our employees.
“The current wage agreement reached with NUM, Solidarity and Uasa is again well in excess of inflation, but takes the longer-term sustainability of the gold operations into consideration,” it stated.
The deal with other unions provided for increases to the basic wage of category 4-8 surface and underground employees of R700 in year one, R700 in year two and R825 in year three. Miners, artisans and officials will receive increases of 5.5% in year one and 5.5% or CPI (whichever is the greater) in years two and three of the agreement.
In addition to the basic wage, the current living-out allowance is being increased by R50 to a maximum of R2,150 per month this year, by R75 to a maximum of R2,225 per month on September 1, 2019 and by R100 to a maximum of R2,325 per month in the year that follows.