A stakeholder approach to the membership challenges faced by a trade union in the mining industry

Abstract

This study investigated the factors contributing to the membership decline within the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and explored potential strategies for revitalisation through a stakeholder-oriented lens. The mining sector in South Africa is undergoing profound transformation driven by technological change, shifting worker expectations, inter-union competition, and evolving governance demands. These dynamics necessitate an in-depth examination of how different stakeholders experience, interpret, and influence the union's membership trajectory. A qualitative research design was adopted, using semi-structured interviews with ten purposively selected stakeholders, including current and former NUM members, shop stewards, officials, and external actors familiar with the union's organisational environment. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's (2022) reflexive thematic analysis framework, enabling the identification of patterns across narratives and the construction of themes grounded in participant experiences. Six major themes emerged: (1) leadership and governance challenges; (2) organisational weaknesses and service delivery gaps; (3) member perceptions of representation and shifting worker expectations; (4) technological disruption, digitalisation, and automation; (5) political affiliation and identity tensions; and (6) inter-union rivalry, especially in relation to AMCU's growth. The findings demonstrate that NUM's membership challenges stem from a complex interplay of internal inefficiencies, external pressures, and changing generational and technological contexts. The results confirm global literature on union decline, while contributing a contextualised understanding of organisational legitimacy, identity reconstruction, and strategic adaptation within the South African mining sector. The study concludes that revitalising the union requires governance renewal, improved workplace visibility, service-oriented organisational culture, digital transformation, targeted youth engagement, and strategic positioning within a competitive labour relations environment. Recommendations are presented for strengthening leadership accountability, enhancing digital communication, repositioning NUM's identity, and responding proactively to inter-union dynamics. The study contributes to existing scholarship by offering a stakeholder-informed analysis of union resilience in a rapidly evolving industrial landscape.