JOHANNESBURG — South African bullion miner Gold Fields said about a quarter of its 46 000 workers had been on a wildcat strike since Wednesday evening in the latest labour unrest to hit the mining industry of Africa’s top economy.
Report by Reuters The strike at the world’s No.4 gold producer follows a deadly stand-off at platinum miner Lonmin Plc which is still not resolved after three weeks. Gold Fields said in a statement on Friday that about 12 000 workers had been on an “unlawful and unprotected” strike at the east section of its KDC mine in South Africa.
“Based on informal feedback from employees, the strike appears to be related mainly to disagreements within organised labour and related structures on the mine, although we cannot confirm this,” it said.
Gold Fields and South Africa’s other big gold miners signed two-year wage agreements last year which expire in mid-2013.
Frans Baleni, general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, said the strike was started by a disagreement over insurance benefits.
