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Johannesburg - South Africa’s radical Association of
Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) said it was recruiting at Anglo
Platinum [JSE:AMS] (Amplats), the top producer of the precious metal, a move
which could raise concerns among investors about a possible rise in unrest
among the workforce.
“We are recruiting at Anglo Platinum... we have been invited
by the workers,” AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa told a news briefing. The
union has also started recruiting efforts at Gold Fields [JSE:GFI], the world’s
fourth-largest gold miner.
Mathunjwa denied allegations that the union was using
violence and intimidation in its efforts to peel members away from the dominant
National Union of Mineworkers (Num).
AMCU has already been challenging the Num at the Rustenburg
operations of Impala Platinum Holdings [JSE:IMP], the world's No 2 platinum
producer, in a struggle that has taken close to 130 000 ounces out of global
production this year because of strikes and stoppages.
AMCU represents the biggest challenge ever to the Num’s
dominance among South Africa’s mining labour force.
The platinum sector in particular is seen as ripe for
recruitment because it does not bargain collectively but on a
company-by-company basis.
AMCU said it has over 15 000 members at Implats’ Rustenburg
operation, which would represent most of the company’s unionised workforce
there.
Implats has said it was trying to verify the membership
numbers presented to it by AMCU.
But AMCU said the verification process was supposed to have
concluded on May 25 and it had taken the issue the country’s labour mediator.
AMCU also has 3 800 members at the Karee mine operated by Lonmin [JSE:LON], the world No 3 platinum producer.
