Lonmin mineworkers end two-day strike action

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22550556

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Lonmin mineworkers in South Africa are returning to work after their two-day strike in protest at the shooting of a senior union official at the weekend.

A spokesperson for the company said 83% turned up for Wednesday's overnight shift and more had returned by morning.

Shares in Lonmin, the world's third-largest platinum producer, rose.

A union official from the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) was killed in a shooting at a bar over the weekend.

AMCU blamed the long-established rival union, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), for the killing.

The strike halted production at Lonmin's 13 shafts in the mining town of Rustenburg.

AMCU has overtaken the NUM as the biggest union at the Marikana mine, where 34 striking miners were shot and killed by police last year.

The NUM has been close to the ruling African National Congress and had been almost the sole representative of mineworkers, but in recent years, it has been losing members to AMCU.

Lonmin's spokesperson, Sue Vey, said discussions with workers over their demands were continuing: "The company believes that returning to work and allowing engagement to continue through established channels is in everyone's best interest."

AMCU is planning to take its fight for recognition to the government labour mediation body.

There are reports that workers are considering strike action at Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) in protest at company plans to cut 6,000 jobs.