Barrick Mining signs deal with unions at Mali gold mine, eases strike threat
Summary
Barrick Mining has successfully reached a new collective bargaining agreement with unions representing workers at its Loulo-Gounkoto gold mine in Mali, effectively easing the threat of a strike that had loomed over the operation. This development follows earlier demands from unions for improved overtime pay and mission expense reimbursements, which prompted notices of possible strike action. Bani Sacko, a union official, confirmed that after a meeting on September 21, all strike actions have been called off. This agreement comes in the backdrop of Mali's stringent mining regulations aimed at increasing state revenues and follows a resolution to a previous dispute between Barrick and the Malian government over profit-sharing and mine control that lasted two years.