(Adds industry reaction, background)
JOHANNESBURG, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Members of South Africa's Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) will decide whether to strike at operations of gold companies at a mass meeting on Oct. 11, a spokesman said on Monday.
"We have a certificate to strike at each company. We want to allow our members to decide," Manzini Zungu said.
But Chamber of Mines spokeswoman Charmane Russell said AMCU members could only strike at Sibanye Gold SGLJ.J because the other two firms, AngloGold Ashanti ANGJ.J and Harmony Gold HARJ.J , had already struck deals with three other unions representing the majority of workers.
"This agreement will be extended to the other unions and if AMCU gives notice of strike action at AngloGold and Harmony, the companies can go to court to have it declared unprotected," Russell said.
When a strike is deemed "unprotected" in South Africa, companies can legally dismiss employees who take part in it.
The previous wage agreement signed in the gold sector two years ago by unions representing the majority of the workers was also applied to AMCU members despite the fact they did not accept it.