Published: April 30, 2019 |

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Reuters reported that South Africa’s labor registrar said he intended to de-register the militant Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union for breaking rules on how unions should operate, a move which could reshape the balance of power on the country’s platinum belt. A notice in South Africa’s government gazette said “I, Lehlohonolo Daniel Molefe, Registrar of Labor Relations, give notice of my intention to cancel the registration of Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union. The trade union has ceased to function in terms of its constitution and the trade union is not a genuine trade union as envisaged in the Act. AMCU had violated its own rules by not holding a national congress for more than five years. That means its senior officials have not been elected as they should.”

If the labor registrar goes ahead with his threat to de-register AMCU, it would not be able to operate as a trade union. That would be a victory for the rival National Union of Mineworkers, with is aligned with the governing African National Congress party. The de registration could also spark unrest in mining communities if AMCU members protest.

AMCU originally started as a breakaway from NUM. AMCU, one of the largest trade unions in South Africa’s mining sector, has thousands of members at mines operated by companies including Sibanye-Stillwater and Lonmin. The union, which is known for its uncompromising stance after leading bruising strikes, rose to prominence during labor unrest which led to the 2012 killing of striking mine workers at Lonmin’s Marikana mine.

Source: Steelguru

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