South African court orders AMCU to suspend gold strike

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 22 (Reuters) - A South African court on Wednesday ordered the AMCU union to suspend its planned strike in the gold sector pending a ruling on whether the action is legal, the Chamber of Mines said.

Gold producers asked for a court order to halt the strike on the grounds that a wage agreement signed last year with the National Union of Mineworkers - still the majority union on the gold mines - applies to all workers in the sector.

"No employees are to go on strike until a final verdict on January 30," said Elize Strydom, the chamber's chief negotiator.

(Reporting by Zandi Shabalala; Writing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by Ed Cropley)

((Olivia.Kumwenda@thomsonreuters.com)(+27 11 775 3159)(Reuters Messaging: olivia.kumwenda.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: SAFRICA STRIKES/