Gold unions' demands are 'mind-boggling'
June 20, 2007
By Angus Macmillan
Johannesburg – South Africa's big three gold miners will have to respond to no less than 61 separate demands from mining unions when they kick off negotiations on wages and working conditions in Johannesburg next week.
Represented by the Chamber of Mines - AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields and Harmony - will be responding to demands tabled by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Solidarity and the United Associations of South Africa (Uasa).
"It is mind-boggling how many demands have been tabled by the unions," Elize Strydom, the chamber's industrial relations adviser and chief negotiator for the gold mining companies in the talks, told I-Net Bridge on Wednesday.
"The unions have tabled their demands, spoken to them and motivated them. We will now be responding to them," said Strydom, stressing that a sense of humour would have to be maintained.
