* Wage demands made weeks ago from gold sector
* Gold mine wage deals in force until June 2013
* Signals discontent spreading through mining industry
JOHANNESBURG, Aug 27 (Reuters) – South Africa’s gold mining companies have been hit by union demands for wage hikes but the industry has little room to budge as current collective agreements do not expire until the middle of next year, the country’s chamber of mines said on Monday.
The country’s platinum sector currently faces a wave of labour strife and violence that killed 44 people this month and shut ore output at mines run by Lonmin , the world’s third largest producer of the precious metal.
Elize Strydom, who heads employment relations at the chamber, said the demands were made several weeks ago by local branches of the National Union of Mineworkers and not the national office.
She said the demand was for a 2,000 rand ($240) a month increase for all underground operators except higher-paid rock drillers who have been the main source of agitation at Lonmin and other platinum producers.
South Africa’s big gold miners Gold Fields, Harmony and AngloGold Ashanti negotiate collectively through the chamber for industry-wide wage agreements and the current 2-year deals will not expire until June, 2013.
“The chamber feels very strongly that we should respect agreements,” Strydom told Reuters. But she added that a task team was going to look into the matter.
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