Zambia's Luanshya Copper Mine (LCM) workers agreed a 22 percent pay rise offered by its management, ending tensions which led to a strike some two weeks ago, a senior union official said on Tuesday.
Oswell Munyenyembe, General Secretary of the Mine Workers Union of Zambia (Muz) told Reuters his union and LCM management were due to sign the pay rise agreement later on Tuesday. "I can confirm that we have finally agreed a pay rise of 22 percent and we will be signing an agreement with management this evening (Tuesday)," Munyenyembe said.
LCM had initially offered a 16 percent pay rise against the union's demand of a 40 percent increase. Munyenyembe said the deal fell short of what the miners had expected, but the Muz would wait for negotiations due in 2008 to press for more. LCM operates the Baluba copper mine and plans to spend over $200 million to develop the Milyiashi mine.
Two weeks ago, the LCM miners went on a six day strike to press for better conditions of service and higher pay. Dereck Webbstock, chief executive officer of LCM, said last week the company had been losing 65 tonnes in finished copper per day during the period of the strike.