Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd. - Harmony And Num Rea
Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd. - Harmony and NUM reach agreement on Social Plan
Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd.
JSE: HAR
NYSE: HMY
ISIN No.: ZAE000015228
JSE: HARW
NYSE: HMYWS
ISIN No.: ZAE000031209
JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT by
Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd. and the National Union of Mine Workers
HARMONY AND NUM REACH AGREEMENT ON SOCIAL PLAN
Johannesburg - 19 March 2003 Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (NYSE: HMY:
JSE: HAR) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) today announced that the
parties had agreed to sign the company"s Social Plan Framework Agreement and to
establish a Social Plan Fund.
Harmony is the first South African mining company to sign an agreement of this
nature.
"Harmony has taken a proactive step to ensure that the company"s Social Plan
process is on track. We will, together with the Unions, form a Social Plan
Trust and establish Future Forums at all our operations," said Bernard
Swanepoel, chief executive of Harmony.
"The Forums will liaise with government on both a local and national level to
formulate and implement integrated development plans for communities
surrounding Harmony"s operations and in areas from which our labour is
sourced," concluded Bernard.
Harmony has also pledged its commitment to the development of its workforce and
to the necessary skills transfer processes, as per the Social Plan Regulations.
The company also actively participates in a management/labour partnership, which
incorporates strong community involvement.
"This agreement represents a milestone in the long struggle by the union to
realise a better life for mineworkers, ensuring that mineworkers are cushioned
off from job losses resulting from the industry. It enables mineworkers to be
skilled and re-trained, and to set up projects in order to continue having a
livelihood. We are heartened by the fact that the agreement is not limited to
the current workforce but includes former workers and potential future
retrenchees. Furthermore, it also caters for the labour sending areas. We hope
that the mining industry, as a whole, can take a leaf from this towards the goal
of creating a humane and caring industry," commented Gwede Mantashe, Secretary
General of the National Union of Mineworkers.
"I am pleased with the progress made by Harmony and the NUM in what government
believes is an important aspect of the Mining Charter," commented the Minister
of Minerals and Energy, Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. "By following this approach
of getting the co-operation of the other important shareholders, the likelihood
of a successful implementation of Harmony"s Social Plan increases dramatically,"
the Minister concluded.
Issued by Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited
For more detail contact:
Bernard Swanepoel
on +27(0)83 303 9922
or
Khetiwe McClain
on +27(0)83 257 5574
or
NUM
Gwede Mantashe
on +27 11 377 2065
or
George Masha
on +27(0)82 979 6749
ENDS
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