[miningmx.com] — THE strike at Gold Fields’ South Deep mine has come to a muted end, with both employer and union claiming victory on disputed issues.
Both Gold Fields and the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) confirmed workers returned to work on Sunday evening, after an agreement had been reached earlier in the day.
Num spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said on Monday striking workers got “full value’ for the week’s unpaid work stoppage, arguing significant progress had been made on issues that had stalled for the past two years.
The union demanded to have a say in procurement and tender processes as well as the appointment of senior management, functions which Gold Fields said were the prerogative of management.
“They (Gold Fields) acceded and agreed to give us a say in the selection of employment at all levels,’ said Seshoka. “It’s about transformation – for over two years we have been saying to the company’s management that it’s not representative according to the laws of this country.’
Seshoka said no timeframe or plan of action had been decided on as to how the union will be made part of the mine’s employee procurement systems.
“We will go back on strike should we at some point feel we’re not making any progress here,’ said Seshoka. “The devil will be in the details.’
Said Gold Fields spokesperson Sven Lunchse: “We’ve deliberately decided not to make known too many details on the agreement. In short, we’ve decided to make the union our partner in achieving the group’s transformation target, without compromising our right to appoint senior management members.’
Lunchse said the group would only declare production losses suffered during the week-long strike when it reports for the quarter to end-December in early 2011.
Seshoka said all workers at the mine took part in the strike, but Lunsche put the number to between 25% to 38% of the project’s employed workforce. He said South Deep provided work to about 6,000 people, of whom about 3,000 are contractors.
In the quarter to end-September, South Deep produced 70,000 ounces of gold – 8% of the group’s total production. The mine is still in build-up phase, with full production aimed to be achieved by 2014.
