By Sherilee Lakmidas
JOHANNESBURG, July 9 (Reuters) – South Africa’s radical
Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) said it
had gained representation of most workers at a mine that
Aquarius Platinum is closing and that it was willing to
go to court to have it reopened.
Aquarius, the world’s fourth-largest platinum producer, is
the latest mining company for which the militant new union has
claimed majority membership in at least one mine – a development
that will not be welcomed in board rooms.
AMCU has been waging often violent turf battles for members
with the dominant National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), tapping
into a deepening vein of discontent with the labour
organization, which is seen as too close to the ruling ANC
political party.
Aquarius said in late June it was placing its Everest mine
on “care and maintenance” – industry speak for closing down –
“pending better prices and improved industrial relations”.
“We call on the board to withdraw their decision and reopen
the mine,” AMCU President Joseph Mathunjwa told a news
conference on Monday.
He said AMCU was now the majority union at the Everest Mine
with 1,100 members out of the 1,600-strong workforce and that
Aquarius had violated labour laws by not consulting with it in a
timely fashion over the Everest closure. He said the union was
willing to go to court over the issue.
South African labour legislation is often seen as
union-friendly, but the AMCU’s prospects for success in court
may not be great, because companies are careful to act within
the law.
Aquarius officials could not immediately be reached for
comment.
Continued…
