South African PGM Producers to Sidestep AMCU, Contact Workers Directly

Reuters reported today that in the latest move by producers Implats, Amplats, and Lonmin in an ongoing South African Miners strike, the producers have plans to circumvent the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union by taking a wage offer directly to mine workers. The plan comes after discussions between the miners and the AMCU failed to yield a resolution last week.

As quoted in the market news:

AMCU’s leaders have said they were “arrogantly rebuffed by the platinum cartel”, so it seems unlikely their members will publicly accept the offer at mass meetings which are typically dominated by the union’s shop stewards and most militant core.

But the producers are forcing the hand of AMCU and its president Joseph Mathunjwa by betting that most of the strikers have lost their resolve to strike as they face the third consecutive month without pay.

Click here to read the full Reuters article.