AMCU strike faces further delays

Due to AMCU causing ongoing delays to the verification process ordered by the Court on 21 December 2018*, the Company had applied to the Court for the cessation of the strike, pending the outcome of the verification process. The Court however found that the previous decision of the Court was final in its effect. 

“We respect the Court’s ruling, but are disappointed that the merits of our case were not heard, and the ruling was made on a legal technicality. We remain extremely concerned about the impact the protracted strike is having on the financial wellbeing of our employees, which is being exacerbated by ongoing delays to the verification process due to AMCU’s continual legal challenges.   We will continue to pursue various avenues, without compromising other stakeholders, to bring an end to this strike as soon as possible,” said CEO Neal Froneman.

Please refer to https://soundcloud.com/user-155552468/sibanye for a media sound clip by the spokesperson, James Wellsted.

*Background on the verification process

On 21 December 2018 the court ruled and again confirmed on 8 January 2019, that the union affiliation verification process should be facilitated by the CCMA after the Company established that the membership of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), UASA and Solidarity at its South African gold operations have increased collectively over 50% and therefore extended the wage agreement to all employees, in terms of Section 23(1(d) of the Labour Relations Act, No 66 of 1995.

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