NUM, UASA unions back strike at Sibanye-Stillwater gold mines

Members of South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and United Association of South Africa (UASA) voted 62% in favour of a strike at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold mines in a March 1 ballot after wage talks reached a stalemate.

The overall tally showed support for a strike at Sibanye’s gold division by 5 084 votes to 3 082 votes, the strike ballot report from South Africa’s Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration showed.

Sibanye-Stillwater did not immediately respond to a request for comment ahead of a conference call on the company’s annual results.

Sibanye’s South African gold division includes the Kloof, Driefontein, Cook, and Beatrix mines and support services. The vote breakdown showed the majority of union members did not back a strike at the Beatrix gold mine.

Labour unions NUM, UASA, Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), and Solidarity had negotiated with Sibanye as a coalition for the first time.

But on Wednesday Solidarity said its members had approved Sibanye’s final wage offer.

The CCMA report said the ballot was for NUM and UASA members, without mentioning AMCU, and it was not immediately clear whether AMCU had voted on a strike.