Mining Weekly reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) on Wednesday suspended the process of verifying union membership at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold operations.
It claimed the process was aimed at rendering the current strike action unprotected. The CCMA verification process was ordered by the Labour Court. Amcu explained that it had filed papers with the Labour Court to appeal what it noted was a factual error contained in the Labour Court judgment, which would have considerably limited the scope of the verification exercise. The union argued that the judge erred by stating that the membership figures as at 22 November 2018 were common cause, whereas Amcu had disputed that in its court papers. The significance of this error was that it might limit the scope of the verification process and, therefore, prejudice members’ constitutional right to strike, said Amcu. At an earlier date Sibanye had applied to the Court to have its wage agreement with three other unions extended to Amcu’s on the basis that those unions represented the majority of employees at the miner’s gold operations. Amcu, however, disputed the membership figures provided by Sibanye.
- Read the full report on this story at Mining Weekly
Read Amcu’s press statement in this regard at Polity
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