LUBOMBO – Normal operations have resumed at Maloma Colliery Ltd after management met with staff, ending a work stoppage that had prompted the mining company to seek urgent court intervention.
The return to work follows a ruling by the Industrial Court on Wednesday declaring the strike by Maloma Colliery employees unlawful. The court issued an order restraining the workers from continuing with the work stoppage after the company approached the bench for urgent relief.
The affected employees are represented by the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA). The work stoppage began on Monday, July 13, 2026.
The dispute arose after wage negotiations between the company and the recognised workers’ union reached a deadlock. Maloma Colliery had offered employees a cumulative nine per cent salary increase over two years, comprising a five per cent increase for 2026 and a four per cent increase for 2027.
The company said in a statement issued on Tuesday that the industrial action arose during wage negotiations conducted through the recognised collective bargaining process with the recognised workers’ union. It said that despite ongoing engagements and repeated appeals for employees to return to work while discussions continued, the parties had failed to reach an agreement.
The company said the impasse had extended beyond the wage offer to issues that should continue to be addressed through the recognised collective bargaining structures established under the Recognition Agreement.
Maloma Colliery said a number of employees had continued occupying the company’s entrance and obstructing normal access to the workplace despite repeated requests to vacate peacefully. As a result, it said it had instructed its legal representatives to seek urgent relief from the appropriate court to protect the safety of employees, safeguard operations and restore normal access to the workplace.
The company said it had negotiated in good faith throughout the process and remained committed to orderly collective bargaining in accordance with the country’s labour laws.
The company also pointed to measures it had taken to support employees over the past seven months, including the payment of a 13th cheque in December, a 14th cheque in January to assist with back-to-school expenses, monthly food rations, a production bonus paid last month and the wage offer currently under discussion.
While recognising employees’ right to raise workplace concerns through the industrial relations framework, the company had urged workers to respect the rule of law, comply with any lawful court orders and work with all stakeholders towards a peaceful resolution of the dispute.
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