Amcu threatens strike over Sibanye wage deal

Amcu plans to serve Sibanye Gold with a notice to strike because the bullion producer failed to sign a wage agreement.

Cape Town - South Africa's Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) said on Tuesday it would serve Sibanye Gold with a notice to strike because the bullion producer failed to sign a wage agreement with the worker's group.

In November, Sibanye said it would not hold further wage talks with the Amcu over wages, saying its members should accept a pay agreement signed with other unions.

Amcu members had voted in October to strike in the gold sector, including at Sibanye, but agreed not to down tools immediately pending talks with the gold producer.

“We will serve them with the strike notice as soon as we consult with the worker structures on the ground,” Amcu national treasurer Jimmy Gama told Reuters at a mining conference in Cape Town.

Sibanye's decision to rule out further talks raised the prospect of industrial action in the struggling sector, according to analysts, but the company said workers were unlikely to engage in work stoppages.

“At this point we haven't seen any sign of workers wanting to strike at operations,” Sibanye spokesman James Wellsted told Reuters via telephone.

“Operations are running smoothly. They received the strike certificate in October and there have been comments every now and then, we not sure what that means. We will manage the situation if it arises.”

REUTERS