By Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Workers at Rosebel Gold Mines (RGM) in Suriname will receive a salary increase of 24 percent, company and union officials here disclosed.
RGM’s management signed a collective agreement Wednesday with the Rosebel Gold Mines Worker Union (RGWO) effectively bringing an end to a year-long labour dispute which ultimately led to a shutdown of the Rosebel gold mine in late January.
In the first year of the agreement effective as of January 1, 2007 workers will get a 24 percent salary hike, while in 2008 wages will increase by another 10 percent. For 2009 when the agreement expires parties will renegotiate a further increase.
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Union leader Errol Snijders (right) and RGM general manager Denis Meville-Deschenes sign the collective agreement while company jurist Rani Sohansing, company officials and workers look on.
Photo: Rosebel Gold Mines |
According to union leader Errol Snijders, with the signing of the agreement the multinational is recognising the union as an equal partner. Since the operations started in 2005 this is the first collective agreement that has been signed.
Snijders disclosed that, with the contract, medical care and child benefits are being improved significantly, while vacation arrangements has also been improved.
Toronto-based IAMGold owns 95 percent of Rosebel Gold Mines, while the remaining 5 percent is owned by the Surinamese government.
The Rosebel mine is the most important asset of IAMGold and was acquired in November 2006 with IAMGOLD’s acquisition of Cambior, RGM’s Canadian-based parent company.
Rosebel, located about 100 km (60 miles) south of the Suriname capital of Paramaribo, was expected to produce about 335,000 ounces of gold in 2006.
RGM-general manager Denis Meville-Deschenes noted that a new era in the further development of the company has begun.
Both parties argue that workers and management should cooperate and ensure peace and stability for continuity and growth of the company. The parties still, however, have to resolve certain issues concerning the recent strike. The company claims that during the strike workers had caused damage to the mill, mining vehicles and other equipment.
IAMGold said it will hold the union responsible for damage to the operation and seek legal actions for indemnification.
RGM managers are aiming at a position for the company as one of the top five gold producing companies in the world.
“With the signing of this agreement we got a new partner. We will try to make Rosebel one of the top five gold producers in the world,” RGM Human Resource Manager Douglas Desrosiers told reporters.
IAMGold’s chief executive officer Joseph Conway added that since RGM is IAMGold’s main asset Suriname should become part of the company’s growth. “Our interests in Suriname very important to me; that’s why I had followed the negotiations very closely,” said Conway. He announced further exploration activities in Suriname and expansion of the gold production. | 
