BCL, staff union sign salary deal

ONALENNA MODIKWA
Staff Writer | Friday April 13, 2007 00:00

 

Acting BCL General Manager Chris Naude said during the signing of the agreement in Selebi-Phikwe yesterday that the 10 percent increase would be implemented for Stratum One employees whereas Stratum 11 employees would receive an across the board increase of five percent on basic salary while the remaining five percent would be performance-based.  Describing the negotiations as 'short but fierce', Naude thanked the parties for the amicable way in which the talks were conducted. He said both parties had demonstrated maturity and commitment.

Divisional Manager (Organisational capabilities) Joseph Lisindi said the signing of the agreement was the second of its kind at a management level. He stated that the accord was achieved in a record time, thereby ushering in a new era of positive bargaining between the two negotiating parties.

Lisindi advised that the spirit of working together and collaboration should be seen as a culture in the company.

'We started the negotiations poles apart and worked towards one another until we reached a level of compromise. We disagreed without being disagreeable because an agreement was made in the end. We saw ourselves as two clans tackling the same enemy.'

He emphasised that the management negotiating team enjoyed working with the union management and they made much interaction, a gesture that should trickle down to the rest of the employees. Lisindi further noted that the two parties had forged a partnership for the benefit of everyone.

BCSSU chairperson Sonnyboy Kruger was happy that the bargaining went well and said it was probably the first time the two parties had transparent negotiations. He said his union would continue to work closely with the management for the benefit of the copper/nickel mine.

Kruger said the union was often viewed as a team of radicals but stressed that their ideas 'are worth utilising for the benefit of BCL'.

'The perception should change, we should be viewed as partners not radicals who are out to rubbish everything,'  Kruger said.