NUM membership falls to 1990s level

[miningmx.com] – DAVID Sipunzi, general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) blamed a heavy decline in the union’s membership on job losses and a failure by companies to process membership forms.

In an article by BDLive, Sipunzi said some employers had “foiled” the union’s recruitment drive by failing to process application forms. Asked why this would be the case, Sipunzi replied: “Maybe they are in love with AMCU”.

AMCU or the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union has become the majority union in South Africa’s platinum industry in the last three years and has made in-roads in the country’s gold sector where the NUM has been traditionally strong.

The membership of the NUM has dropped to 206,000 — a level last seen in the 1990s – down from 270,000 in November, said BDLive.

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