Workers at the East Boulder mine in Montana approved a collective bargaining agreement that runs from Aug. 1, 2026 to July 31, 2029, while labour unrest continues at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Stillwater East and Columbus operations.
East Boulder workers ratified a collective bargaining agreement with the United Steel Workers International Union covering Aug. 1, 2026–July 31, 2029.
The agreement sets a 4.5% wage increase in year one, then the greater of 3.5% or CPI in year two, and the greater of 3% or CPI in year three.
Strikes continue at Stillwater East and at the Columbus metallurgical complex, indicating labour issues remain elsewhere in Sibanye-Stillwater’s US operations.
# What happened
# What the deal provides The wage schedule in the ratified agreement is explicit:
Those terms apply to East Boulder employees covered by the USW contract for the three-year term.
# Wider context across Sibanye-Stillwater's US operations While East Boulder has a ratified agreement, the report notes ongoing strikes at other Sibanye-Stillwater sites in the United States. Specifically, labour actions continue at Stillwater East and at the Columbus metallurgical complex. That contrast shows a partial resolution at one US site but unresolved labour disputes at others.
Sibanye-Stillwater is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and operates multiple precious-metals assets in the US, including East Boulder, Stillwater, and Columbus.
# Why this matters to readers A ratified multi-year agreement stabilizes pay expectations and labour relations at East Boulder for the term, with wages tied to both fixed increases and CPI to protect real income against inflation in later years. However, continued strikes at Stillwater East and Columbus mean production disruptions and operational risk remain in other parts of the company's US footprint.
For stakeholders — employees, unions, investors, and suppliers — the East Boulder result reduces immediate uncertainty at that mine but does not eliminate company-level labour risk while other strikes persist.
# Direct takeaways
# Related reporting to watch Recent items in the same coverage set include union and contract developments at other mining companies and sites, proposed restructuring and job impacts at Sibanye's South African operations, reported fatalities influencing labour discourse, and equipment orders for Sibanye-Stillwater mines. These stories provide additional context on labour, safety, restructuring, and capital spending within the sector.
# Bottom line East Boulder workers secured a defined wage path for three years with CPI protection in later years. The company still faces labour disruptions at other US operations, so risk to overall US production and workforce relations remains until those disputes are resolved.
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