BCL, union narrow bargaining positions

When the two sides met last on May 3, 2011, the union pushed for a 14 percent hike across the board in basic salaries, 6.7 percent adjustments in company contribution in the new pension scheme, 15 percent increase on all allowances and 2.5 percent adjustment to annual bonus.

The mine countered with 6.33 percent increase across the board in basic salaries plus an adjustment of 1.67 percent to its contribution to the pension fund. Information contained in BCL in-house publication, Maitiso, indicates that the latest positions are much closer than when the two sides began bargaining early this month.