Business Report writes that the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) has issued a strike certificate to unions at precious metal producer, Sibanye-Stillwater, after gold wage negations collapsed late last year.

The certificate permits the unions, which comprise the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Solidarity, and Uasa, to embark on a strike at Sibanye's SA gold operations in Gauteng and the Free State and for the company to implement a lockout within a 12-month period from issuance. Uasa’s Franz Stehring confirmed that the unions had received the certificate. "The company has made it clear that they are willing to talk to us. For us, it's not over until the fat lady sings,“ he commented. Wage talks between unions and Sibanye deadlocked in November 2021 after the unions rejected the company’s wage offer. The CCMA has been mediating the dispute. Stehring added that he still hoped that discussions would bring the company to settle above the amount it was offering. “We haven't received a final offer from the company yet. As soon as they give us a final offer, we will convey it to our members who will then give us mandate whether to strike or not,” he stated. Sibanye on Friday said while the certificate of non-resolution had been issued, it continued to urge unions and employees to reconsider the company’s offer, which was in line with consumer inflation (CPI) and followed several years of above CPI increases.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Dieketseng Maleke at Business Report

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