Amplats strike underpins AMCU dissidence

Joseph Mathunjwa, president, AMCU

[miningmx.com] – THE Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (AMCU) entrenched its position as South Africa’s dissident mining union calling 5,600 workers to strike at two mines owned by Anglo American Platinum (Amplats).

The platinum firm, a listed subsidiary of Anglo American, confirmed employees at its
Thembelani and Khuseleka 1 mines embarked on “an illegal strike action”.

“Mining was affected from the night shift at Thembelani last night, and the morning shift today at Thembelani and Khuseleka 1 as well as today’s afternoon shifts at both mines,” Amplats said in a statement.

The strike action will send a chill through the country’s mining sector as it lends further support that AMCU intends to continue trumping the status quo or worse, it hasn’t the capacity to impose order among a heterogeneous following.

Last week, AMCU was the only union not to sign a framework agreement brokered by deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe which aimed to establish mine stability ahead of wage negotiations. AMCU said it needed more time to canvass its members.

AMCU’s demands included the reinstatement of 19 of its shop stewards who had been suspended for participating in an illegal sit-in on June 14.

It also said a restructuring effort at Amplats should be suspended and that wage talks should begin. Amplats adjusted restructuring plans on May 10 saying up to 8,000 less jobs would be affected.

“Lastly, they are also demanding that the company should provide a guarantee that NUM will not be allowed to return to the operations,” said Amplats.

This last demand is consistent with comments made by AMCU president, Joseph Mathunjwa, last week in which he told Talk Radio 702 that Motlanthe’s framework agreement ought to include AMCU’s objection to rival unions with business links operating near where it had a majority. Mathunjwa also requested the reinstatement of workers at Glencore Xstrata’s chrome mine, and AngloGold Ashanti.

Amplats urged employees and their union representatives to live by the spirit of the peace and stability framework.

AMCU’s unprotected strike comes amid a number of developments in the platinum sector including news confirmed by Lonmin today that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) had sought to interdict its loss of recognition at the company’s Marikana mine as well as the closure of its office scheduled to take effect on July 16.

In a separate development, gold producers represented by the Chamber of Mines said an inaugural pre-wage negotiation workshop took place today. AMCU was expected to be represented at the meeting.

“The purpose of today’s engagement was to set the scene in respect of the prevailing economic circumstances of employers and employees in the gold mining industry and to develop a protocol that will guide the 2013 negotiations,” the producers said in a statement. Wage negotiations proper are due to start on July 11.