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Johannesburg - The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) has ruled out any violence with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) after becoming the majority union at Lonmin [JSE:LON].
The mining company and Amcu signed an agreement on Wednesday recognising the trade union as having majority representation at the company.
Lonmin CEO Ben Magara said he was "delighted" by the employee recognition agreement, signed at a news briefing in Johannesburg.
"It is excellent news for Lonmin, for our employees and for all our stakeholders. I would like to recognise the efforts of both our teams, Amcu and Lonmin."
Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa, said that without co-operation both parties were losers.
"As leaders, we must find a way to ensure we can move forward together in peace and stability. In particular I would like to thank the membership of Amcu and their teams for their patience as we sought to conclude the agreement."
Magara said Lonmin had discussed the agreement with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which was previously majority union at the company.
"We had conversations, we had meetings to try and make sure we take all our stakeholders with us, including (NUM general secretary) Frans Baleni and NUM," he said.
"We have had engagements to ensure that they are aware of where we are and how we are progressing."
In July, an application by NUM to stop Lonmin from de-recognising it as the majority union was struck off the roll by the Labour Court in Johannesburg. The NUM claimed it had detected irregularities in the transfer of its members to Amcu.
The union was given time to recruit more members to retain its majority union status, or vacate its offices at Lonmin's mines.
The offices are provided to the majority union at each shaft, while other unions have one central office.
During a two-day strike in May, Amcu members demanded that the NUM close its offices at Lonmin, and accused the union of membership fraud.
No violence
Mathunjwa said there should not be an expectation of violence between the unions because of the agreement. He said Amcu shop stewards had not yet taken office.
"Amcu is not in the position to take office but the company will allocate the office for Amcu according to the agreement."
Lonmin and Amcu said it was significant that their agreement was being signed so close to the anniversary of the shooting at Lonmin's Marikana mine last year.
Friday marks the first anniversary of the shootings at the mine. Thirty-four people, almost all striking miners, were killed on August 16 when police fired on them while trying to disperse them from a hill where they had gathered.
Ten people, including two policemen and two security guards, were killed in strike-related unrest during the preceding week.
Magara said that after discussions with the organising committee appointed by the workers to oversee the commemoration, an agreement was reached that employees would be allowed to attend. However it would count as an unpaid working day.
Lawyer Dali Mpofu, representing those miners wounded and arrested at Marikana at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry, said workers agreed to take the day as unpaid.
"In all negotiations there is give and take. I can assure you that within the space of maybe half an hour we had managed to get the workers themselves to do the giving."
Magara said it was a "joint sacrifice" where the company sacrificed production and the workers their salaries.
"For both, it was worth it."
