Tanzania Barrick mine workers benefit from bargain agreement

Tanzania, Kahama:

Finally, Barrick Bulyanhulu Gold Mine in Kahama district, Shinyanga region has signed a bargain agreement with its employees after long drawn negotiations.

The outcome will see hundreds of workers getting terminal benefits like other employees in the formal sector as well as funds to educate their children.

“The agreement will see significant improvement of the remunerations of the workers,” said Partenus Rwechungura, the Secretary General of Tanzania, Mines, Energy, Construction and Allied Workers’ Union (Tamico).

He said the bargain agreement has been signed after long discussions between the management of one of the largest gold mines in the country and Tamico on behalf of hundreds of employees.

“Barrick employees (at Bulyanhulu) will now be entitled to terminal benefits and incentive funds for the education of their children,” he said.

The trade union leader added: “As a trade union, we are pleased to see the management of the mine realising the importance of this agreement.”

Improved remunerations will boost the morale of workers and improve work relations at the mine located in Msalala Council in Kahama district.

Bulyanhulu Gold Mine General Manager, Cheick Sangare said now that their demands have been met with the signing of the agreement, the workers must now fulfil their responsibilities.

“We expect to see you double your efforts and creativity so that both the mine and the workers mutually benefit from the deal,” he pointed out.

Mr Sangare said the signing of the agreement by the mine management was enough indication that Bulyanhulu Gold Mine was operating within the confines of the law.

“It is also a sign that the management of the mine will implement terms of the agreement for mutual benefit of the parties involved,” he explained.

Kahama District Commissioner, Festo Kiswaga said improved workers’ remunerations would not only boost productivity but also increase tax collections.

He challenged the workers to work hard so that the mine can generate more gold from its pits and hence increase gold sales in the international markets.

Signing of the agreement was also witnessed by Assistant Labour Commissioner, Andrew Mwalwisi from the Prime Minister’s Office; Labour, Youth, Employment and the Disabled docket.

He took the opportunity to urge all employers in the country to pay the new wage rates, including the minimum wage as recently announced by the government.

He decried a tendency of some employers, both in private and public companies in the country, to ignore the legal requirement to pay the levels directed by the Government.

On his part, the chairman of the Bulyanhulu Mine Tamico branch, Maghembe Malimi, lauded the move by the two sides -mine management and workers – in signing of the bargain agreement.