JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Evander Gold Mines, a subsidiary of JSE-listed Pan African Resources, has reached a three-year wage deal with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Uasa.

Under the terms of the agreement, category 4 to 8 employees and B-lower officials would receive an increase in wages of R700 a month in years one, two and three, as well as a R100 a month increase in the living-out allowance in year one.

Miners, artisans and officials would receive an increase of 6% on the standard rate of pay in year one, to be followed by increases of 6% or consumer price index in years two and three.

The agreement, which was concluded under the auspices of the Chamber of Mines (CoM), would be effective from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2018.

Meanwhile, Pan African Resources said its Barberton Mines subsidiary had also concluded a wage deal with the NUM and Uasa.

Without giving exact details of the agreed increases, Pan African stated that the average Barberton Mines salary and wage bill increase for the two financial years ending
June 30, 2016, and June 30, 2017, would amount to about 9% a year.

“We are pleased that multiyear wage agreements are now in place at our gold mining operations. These agreements provide certainty to all Pan African Resources stakeholders and enable our employees to focus on delivering on our production targets,” said Pan African CEO Cobus Loots.

AngloGold Ashanti and Harmony Gold had, under the auspices of the CoM, signed wage agreements with the NUM, Solidarity and Uasa on October 2. They had also extended the agreement to all employees within the bargaining union, including members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), which had resolved to embark on a strike in the gold sector.

AMCU would hold a media briefing on Wednesday to outline its plans for a strike at the various gold producers’ operations.

Sibanye Gold continued to engage with AMCU, the NUM, Solidarity and Uasa on a settlement.