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Coal strike could soon end

NUM, the largest union in the sector with close to 30,000 members, said it had given its comments on the revised offer to the coal companies.

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Negotiations had stalled earlier on Friday, with NUM blaming resources giant Glencore for bringing talks to end the strike to a halt.

The Chamber of Mines said last week that coal producers had offered to increase wages by up to 8.5 percent for the lowest paid workers, up from a previous offer of 8 percent.

Higher-skilled workers will get raises of 5 percent to 7.5 percent annually.

The industry directly employs almost 90,000 people and paid about 19 billion rand in wages in 2014, according to the Chamber of Mines.

Increases to living out and housing allowances will vary between companies, the chamber said.

Africa’s most advanced economy, beset by power shortages, relies heavily on coal for its electricity and is also a major exporter to Europe and Asia.

“As I speak to you now, employers are finalizing a document containing the new offers that we shall take to our members for consultation”, Bailey told Anadolu Agency.

The price of South African export coal has dropped 28 percent in the past year.

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Wage dialogue in South Africa’s cash cow and coal industries have remained from season to season as digging organisations handle lessening consumable rates and escalating challengers between trade unions.

In South Africa: NUM union receives new wage offer, says coal strike may end