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15 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 50/2004
A historic agreement was signed today in Beijing, China, aimed at improving the health and safety of that nation’s mining industry. After two days of intensive talks, a Memorandum of Understanding was reached between the 20-million-member ICEM—the leading Global Union Federation in mining—and seven other parties, including the UN’s International Labour Office (ILO), which coordinated the discussions.
ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs first discussed the ICEM-inspired initiative with Chinese officials during a visit by leaders of the Brussels-based labour federation in late 2002. A formal invitation from the Chinese to open dialogue on mine safety and health was extended to the ICEM in June 2003.
Signatory to the agreement with the ICEM and ILO included the Chinese government’s State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS), the National Energy and Chemical Workers’ Union of China, the China National Coal Association, the China Enterprise Confederation, and the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), a London-based mining trade group representing the major mining companies of the world.
The agreement will pave the way for technical cooperation between ICEM, ICMM and ILO with Chinese mining entities in order to improve safety and health across all mining sectors in China. The parties acknowledged the importance of further improvements to safety and health in Chinese mines, with an initial focus on large and medium-size coal mines.
“The ICEM together with its 140 mining affiliates in 78 countries is now poised to assist the Chinese government, mining enterprises across China, as well as our trade union counterparts in China on safety and health,” stated Fred Higgs. “We feel the collective experience of our trade union affiliates in cooperation with the ILO and ICMM representing the mining houses of the world can and will play a pivotal role in safeguarding the lives of Chinese miners.”
Specifically, Chinese coal mining is recognized as being the deadliest job in China. At a national coal mine safety conference last month in Beijing, SAWS reported that China produces 35% of the world’s coal, yet has recorded 80% of all workplace fatalities in coal mining worldwide. Since 2001, one death has occurred every 7.4 days and there have been 189 separate tragedies in which at least ten miners perished.
The Chinese government recognizes the problem, and has spent US$480 million since 2000 establishing a monitoring and surveillance system in coal mines in five provinces to detect gas and other safety deficiencies.
The accord signed today calls on the ICEM, ILO and ICMM to provide the Chinese with capacity building in risk assessment and risk management techniques and practices; capacity building on gas and dust management and control in coal and non-coal mines; to develop and implement a safety culture throughout the Chinese mining industry; train workplace safety representatives as designated by the Chinese trade union; and introduce safety equipment and technology.
The cooperation agreement calls for exchange of information and materials, establishment of seminars and workshops, and exchange of relevant experts and officials on mine safety and health.
The ICEM is the leading Global Union Federation in the energy, mining, and processed industries sectors with 425 affiliates in 125 countries.