Catherwood LibraryILR School

Anglo American?s, the world?s largest producer of precious metals, Amplats business had more than four fifths of its workers not show up for work today to protest a plan to layoff 3,300 workers. The strike comes on the heels of another strike earlier this month in Anglo American?s gold business. The Amplat workers are represented by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) who says that they are also unhappy with the 8% pay increase for the gold miners. Part of the labor conflict arises from a rivalry between the AMCU and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), as well as an unemployment rate of over 25%, and the prominence of the mining industry in the country?s economy.