Lonmin pay dispute tees up sector-wide South African platinum strike

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The hardline AMCU union declared a wage dispute with mining company Lonmin on Thursday, raising the possibility of a strike across South Africa's platinum industry that could hit half of global output.

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) would stay in talks with the world's third largest platinum producer, but if no progress was made a government mediator would try to resolve the deadlock, AMCU spokesman Jimmy Gama said.