Rockwell Settles Wage Dispute, Resumes Operations

Rockwell Diamonds Inc said it had finalized wage negotiations with the National Union of Mineworkers at its Wouterspan mine and would resume operations at all of the company’s mines on Wednesday.

Rockwell suspended mining and processing at its Wouterspan mine on the Middle Orange River in South Africa following illegal strike action at the mine in late July, the mining company said in a statement.

The South African diamond firm has agreed on a 13.5 percent increase on the basic wage paid to its employees, excluding management levels, in line with the latest consumer price inflation figures for South Africa.

Due to the Wouterspan industrial action and stoppages experienced after wage negotiations reached a deadlock, the company experienced production losses during late July and August.  Production fell by about 55 percent for the month of August, Rockwell said.