At a time of enforced vacations and retrenchment at diamond mines worldwide, South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is currently demanding a 15% wage increase for all diamond miners at De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM). NUM announced that it has requested that the lowest paid DBCM diamond mine workers receive a minimum monthly wage of ZAR 5,000 ($616).

The union also argues that workers should be entitled to a ZAR 3,500 ($431) housing subsidy. An additional request was that De Beers pay 70% of the workers’ medical aid benefits. Other NUM demands include five days paid family responsibility leave, three days paternity leave for male workers, and four months of fully paid maternity leave for female workers.

De Beers responded that it is studying the union’s demands.