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Johannesburg - The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is at risk of losing close to 60% of its membership, the union's secretariat report revealed.
"If we are to reflect on the assessment of member satisfaction as things currently stand, we are at risk of losing close to 60% of our membership," the union said in its report.
"We need to be able to quantify our competitive advantage as new players have entered our traditional space."
The NUM has lost members to rival union the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).
The rivalry between the two in Rustenburg and the mining sector had intensified and escalated into violence.
The NUM is holding its central committee meeting in Pretoria on Thursday and Friday.
General secretary Frans Baleni is expected to present the report to the meeting.
The NUM said it experienced a 10% loss in membership following the wildcat strikes last year and its derecognition at Impala Platinum mine, the secretariat report revealed.
However, this did not include December 2012 statistics and did not reflect the union'sNUM's current position, according to the report.
"Significant gains have been made as part of the recruitment drive, evidenced for example by a return of membership in Rustenburg."
The NUM said it was operating in a "difficult environment".
Strike actions and their implications had lost the union membership as well as revenue.
From January to September last year the union lost 78% of its membership and 69% of it revenue at Implats and Gold Ore.
The labour relations environment has become more complex.
According to the report, members' attitude towards the NUM had changed. They do not believe the union is fighting for their collective interests as strongly as it previously did.
Collective bargaining structures also seemed to have broken down, particularly in the mining industry.
Amcu had also increased its profile.
The NUM said it could boost its numbers in the construction and energy sector.
There had been allegations of member poaching between the NUM and another Congress of SA Trade Unions affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa).
Numsa and the NUM are the two biggest affiliates of Cosatu and are fighting for the representation of workers at Eskom. The NUM has accused Numsa of poaching its members who worked at the power utility.
Last year, the NUM reportedly wanted Cosatu's central executive committee to ensure Numsa "returned" its members employed at Eskom.
NUM reportedly threatened to withhold its estimated R800 000 monthly subscription to Cosatu if it failed to intervene in its favour.
Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini said at the trade union federation's bargaining conference last month that a number of Cosatu unions were guilty of poaching.
Numsa has denied this.
The NUM has resolved to intensify its recruitment drive.
"It is only through the strength of recruitment that the NUM will be able to bring the necessary changes pertaining to the living and working conditions," it said.
