Amcu Loses Bid to Strike at Gold Mines


Amcu Loses Bid to Strike at Gold Mines

BYLINE: Dineo Faku

THE LABOUR Court yesterday dismissed the bid by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) to strike at operations owned by three of South Africa's major gold mines.

The judgment is expected to bring stability in the gold sector, which is struggling with low margins and is unlikely to be able to afford a protracted strike such as the one seen in the platinum sector.

But Solidarity, one of the majority unions in the sector, accused Amcu of leaving "its members in the lurch".

In his judgment, Judge Andre van Niekerk ruled that the court's interim order issued in January to prevent Amcu from striking be made permanent.

This means a strike by the union would be unprotected and employers would be entitled to dismiss employees for contravening the judgment.

The judge was not convinced by Amcu's argument that it was unconstitutional for the Chamber of Mines to include the union in the two-year wage agreement signed by majority unions but not Amcu.

Amcu was preparing to strike at mines where it has majority representation: AngloGold Ashanti's Mponeng, Savuka and Tautona mines, at Sibanye Gold's Driefontein mine, and at Harmony Gold's Kusasalethu operation.

The Chamber of Mines approached the court to declare a strike by Amcu unprotected after September's signing of a two-year wage agreement with majority unions the National Union of Mineworkers, Solidarity and trade union Uasa.

Amcu, which represents 19 percent of employees in the gold sector, rejected the agreement and demanded a wage of R12 500 for entry-level underground employees.

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