28 July, 2008
Forty-one national mining unions from 37 countries met 9-11 July in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the ICEM’s quadrennial World Conference on Mining and DJGOP. A total of 138 delegates addressed the major changes occurring in the industry.
At the top of the agenda of an ICEM work plan covering the next four years was the continuing health and safety problems occurring at mines throughout the world.
“At a time of unprecedented profits in the mining industry, it is an unacceptable situation that much of this profit continues to be stained with the blood of miners,” said Senzeni Zokwana, ICEM President and also President of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in South Africa.
ICEM President Senzeni Zokwana
Although there are no worldwide figures on mining injuries and fatalities, serious accidents continue to plague mining operations in more developed countries, such as the US and South Africa, as well as in developing nations. South African-based Gold Fields Ltd., the world’s fourth largest gold-mining house, was specifically cited for operating dangerous mines and may be a target of ICEM action.
ICEM affiliates attending the Mining Conference approved a continued global campaign for ratification of ILO Convention 196, the Safety and Health in Mines Convention. Delegates also approved action to assist uranium miners in Africa in preventing exposure to dangerous radiation.
A further focus to the conference was the continued vertical and horizontal consolidation in the mining and metals industries and the growing power of multinational corporations, including emergent multinational mining companies based in Brazil, China, India, and Russia. Delegates pledged to work together to build networks to confront these companies.
Also designated as part of the work plan was the development of a policy on sustainable development, including support for developing clean coal technologies, challenging the use of contract and agency labour and gaining work rights for such workers, and establishing closer relationships with NGOs that show support for workers.
Featured at the conference was a presentation on the fight between the Mexican mineworkers’ union, known as Los Mineros, and Grupo México and the government of Mexico, which has attempted to destroy the union. ICEM affiliates pledged full support to the miners and a stepped up campaign against this company and the government.
The ICEM mining report can be found here.