Barrick Mining (B.US) reaches collective agreement with Mali gold miners' union, strike threat lifted

According to Jinse Finance APP, Barrick Mining (B.US) has signed a new collective bargaining agreement with the union representing workers at its Loulo-Gounkoto gold mine in western Mali, a company spokesperson and a union official said on Sunday, alleviating the threat of a strike.

"We confirm that we have signed a new collective bargaining agreement with the aforementioned gold mine union," the spokesperson said. Bani Sacko, the union official of Barrick Loulo-Gounkoto mine, confirmed that the strike action had been cancelled. "The agreement was reached last Monday after a meeting, and the strike action has since been cancelled. It seems that all other strike actions have also been cancelled," Sacko said. Sacko added that the Loulo-Gounkoto union had previously submitted a list of 15 demands.

Abdoulaye Coulibaly of the National Workers' Union of Mali (UNTM) said, "The threat of a strike has been resolved." He added that the agreement concerns workers from Food & Events Africa, Somilo SA, and Gounkoto SA.

Earlier this month, unions representing workers at Somilo and Gounkoto stated that they would go on strike at the end of September unless demands concerning overtime pay, travel expense reimbursements, and the implementation of labor agreements were met. Workers from Barrick's catering and logistics service contractor Food & Events Africa, as well as workers from Mali's mining regulatory and other mining management agencies, also separately submitted strike notices.

Mali is one of Africa's major gold producers. Last November, after two years of negotiation, Mali resolved a dispute with Barrick over profit sharing and control of the Loulo-Gounkoto gold mine complex.

Barrick, headquartered in Toronto, temporarily halted production last January after employees of the mining company were arrested by Mali's military authorities and an arrest warrant was issued for former CEO Mark Bristow over alleged financial crimes. The Malian government tightened its control over the mining industry under the 2023 Mining Code, which aims to increase the nation's revenues from its natural resources.