JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) and platinum miner Lonmin on Thursday again failed to reach agreement on a new recognition agreement and the matter has now been referred for arbitration. 

The meeting, conducted under the auspices of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), was a final attempt by the parties to resolve their dispute over the recognition agreement, before starting the arbitration process, as provided for by the Labour Relations Act.

Both parties would now present their respective views to an arbitrator, who would make a ruling that would be binding on both the mining company and the union.

While there was no set timeframe to conclude this process, Lonmin “reasonably expected” that it would take between four and six weeks to complete the process. 

“We are disappointed that we have been unable to find common ground, but remain hopeful that the dispute will be resolved, which is in all of our interests,” said acting CEO Simon Scott. 

He said the company had presented a recognition agreement that it believed to be in the best interests of all stakeholders, while simultaneously according the same rights and privileges enjoyed by the previous majority union, the National Union of Mineworkers, to AMCU. 

AMCU now represented 70% of Lonmin’s category four to nine employees.

“In the spirit of the peace accord signed by all parties, we urge everyone to allow the process to take its course peacefully and without incident,” Scott added.