Nouakchott: Workers at a giant Canadian-owned gold mine in Mauritania on Saturday reached a deal to return to work after 18 days of strike action over pay and conditions.
The walkout at the Tasiast mine in the country's north began last month because workers opposed money-saving measures at what was the most expensive global operation for owner Kinross last year.
The unions were unhappy about cuts to benefits including medical cover, tax cover and bonuses, saying they had been instigated without consulting workers.
Under Saturday's deal the two sides pledged to begin talks within a week on a collective pay agreement.
The mine, which produced 219,045 ounces (about 6,200 kilograms) of gold equivalent in 2015 according to the company's website, was once the world's third largest but production has suffered from the falling price of gold.
Strikes have previously hit the mine in 2013 and 2011, also over pay and conditions.
AFP
Nouakchott: Workers at a giant Canadian-owned gold mine in Mauritania on Saturday reached a deal to return to work after 18 days of strike action over pay and conditions.
The walkout at the Tasiast mine in the country's north began last month because workers opposed money-saving measures at what was the most expensive global operation for owner Kinross last year.
The unions were unhappy about cuts to benefits including medical cover, tax cover and bonuses, saying they had been instigated without consulting workers.
Under Saturday's deal the two sides pledged to begin talks within a week on a collective pay agreement.
The mine, which produced 219,045 ounces (about 6,200 kilograms) of gold equivalent in 2015 according to the company's website, was once the world's third largest but production has suffered from the falling price of gold.
Strikes have previously hit the mine in 2013 and 2011, also over pay and conditions.
AFP
