Members of South Africa's Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union Sunday voted overwhelmingly, with a show of hands, to go on strike at the AngloGold Ashanti, Harmony Gold and Sibanye Gold mines.
The union's leadership did not say when the strike would take place, but warned that an eight-month strike is planned for next year.
AMCU members voted for the strike at a mass meeting of more than 5,000 workers near Sibanye's Driefontein Mine, near Careltonville 60 km west of Johannesburg.
The leadership, however, said it would not give a date for downing tools until Christmas holidays were over and a legal challenge to a court interdict -- against a gold strike last year -- is cleared up.
AMCU on October 2 had rejected a three-year pay deal of a rise between 13% and 17% for entry level workers, plus 6% for miners and artisans.
The National Union of Workers, UASA and Solidarity unions have accepted the deal brokered by arbitrators at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, or CCMA.
Of the employers, AngloGold Ashanti and Harmony signed the deal, but Sibanye refused to sign on the grounds that it could cause tension at the company where the NUM and AMCU members hold equal numbers.
Regarding the interdict, the union's lawyers had written to the Labour Appeal Court in Johannesburg to ask for a speedy conclusion to AMCU's appeal, President of AMCU Joseph Mathunjwa told the crowd.
"It is also too close to the end of the year to begin a strike. The Christmas break could weaken our action. But next year, we are prepared to go out for eight months if necessary to get the deal that we want," he said.
Elize Strydom, the chief negotiator for the gold employers, said Sunday: "This [the strike] of course will be disastrous in the sense that no one can afford a strike. I think gold is in a more precarious position than platinum was when it suffered a five-month strike last year. It will be a deeply regrettable situation for everyone."
AMCU wants a 100% pay increase for entry level workers. Wages make up 55% of gold mining costs and analysts believe a heavy pay increase all round could cost the industry 20,000 jobs next year.
