Assessment of the profit sharing schemes
- Authors: NUM
- Date: 1992
- Subjects: NUM
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/149616 , vital:38869
- Description: In 1991 and 1992, the NUM accepted basic wage Increases on the gold mines that were far below the annual Inflation rate because of the crisis in the industry. The priority of the union was to preserve employment. But this left the door wide open for rich mines (like Kloof, Elandsrand and Vaal Reefs) to hide behind the low increases that are set in the Chamber negotiations at levels that Freegold, Buffelsfontein and marginal mines can live with. The NUM decided that workers need a way of adding more money onto their wages If the mines can afford to pay more.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1992
NUM Memorandum - State policy on the crisis in the Gold mining industry
- Authors: NUM
- Date: June 1992
- Subjects: NUM
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/149541 , vital:38862
- Description: The National Union of Mineworkers has asked for a meeting with the Minister to highlight the severe social and economic effects that are caused by the low rand gold price and the consequent rationalisation measures that are being implemented by the gold mines. The severity of the crisis is well illustrated by the case of the Harmony Gold Mine in the Orange Free State. This is the largest of the so-called "marginal" gold mines and last week it retrenched over 6 000 workers. The gold mines have cut back over 130 000 jobs over the last five years. The job cuts have speeded up again in 1992 as the gold price has continued at low levels. The NUM expressed its deep concern at this contraction in the gold industry most strongly at the Summit on the Future of the Mining Industry in June 1992. This meeting was attended by mining houses, the trade unions and several state departments. The NUM made a plea for a national plan and a national policy to regulate and manage the process of down-scaling. Despite the formation of a Summit Steering Committee to consider this and other proposals, and a whole series of working-group meetings involving all parties, nothing practical has come out of the process to address the issue of down-scaling.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: June 1992
The need for state assistance to the Gold Mining Industry
- Authors: NUM
- Date: Jun 1992
- Subjects: NUM
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/112492 , vital:33600
- Description: The NUM’s objectives for the mining industry are simple and straightforward. They include the following: The elimination of racism in the mining industry, The payment of fair wages to all mineworkers, The establishment of decent living conditions for workers and an end to the evils of the migrant labour system, Improved health and safety and other working conditions, Proper, broad-based training for mineworkers, Care for workers downscaling of mining and the development of an economically viable mining sector that is run in a humane and participatory manner. It is plain under the system, both of which are profoundly oppressive a That is why the NUM has always taken a strong political stance. Our belief is that there needs to be a thorough-going RESTRUCTURING and re-organisation of the mining sector before the goals of our union can be met. The burning issue that threatens progress towards our objectives, however, is the economic crisis in the gold industry.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Jun 1992