LUANDA, Sept 28 – Barrick Mining has reached a new collective bargaining agreement with unions representing workers at its Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex in western Mali, bringing an end to planned strike action and easing another labor dispute at the major mining operation.
According to a Reuters report, a company spokesperson confirmed that Barrick had signed a new agreement with the Loulo-Gounkoto unions, while union official Bani Sacko confirmed that the planned strike had been called off.
“On Monday the 21st, after a meeting, an agreement was reached and the strike action has since been called off. Apparently, all the other strike actions have also been called off,” Sacko told Reuters.
The unions had submitted a list of 15 demands, according to Sacko. The issues had included overtime compensation, reimbursement of expenses incurred during work missions and implementation of existing labor agreements.
The agreement was also confirmed by Abdoulaye Coulibaly of Mali’s National Union of Malian Workers, according to Bloomberg. “The strike threat has been resolved,” Coulibaly said, adding that the agreement covered workers at Food & Events Africa, Somilo SA and Gounkoto SA.
Strike Threats Extended Across Mining Sector
The labor dispute had extended beyond Barrick’s directly operated workforce. Earlier in September, unions representing workers at Somilo and Gounkoto had threatened to strike toward the end of the month unless their demands were addressed.
Separate strike notices had also been issued by employees of Food & Events Africa, Barrick’s catering and support-services contractor, as well as workers at Mali’s mining regulator and other mining administration agencies.
The resolution removes an immediate operational risk for Loulo-Gounkoto, one of Mali’s major gold-producing assets, at a time when the country’s mining sector remains subject to increased government oversight.
Barrick’s Wider Dispute With Mali
The labor agreement follows a broader dispute between Barrick and Mali’s military-led government over the ownership, control and distribution of revenues from the Loulo-Gounkoto complex.
The two sides reached a settlement in November 2025 after roughly two years of negotiations over profit-sharing and control of the gold mining operation.
Barrick had temporarily suspended operations at the complex in January 2025 after Malian authorities arrested company employees and issued an arrest warrant for former Barrick Chief Executive Mark Bristow over alleged financial crimes.
The dispute formed part of a wider effort by Mali’s authorities to increase state participation in the mining industry. The government introduced a 2023 mining code designed to increase state revenues from the country’s natural resources.
The latest labor agreement allows operations at Loulo-Gounkoto to continue without the immediate disruption that a strike could have caused, while underscoring the broader labor and regulatory pressures facing mining companies operating in Mali.
