ICEM SSARO Endorses Continued Campaign on Vale

The ICEM’s Sub-Sahara Africa Regional Organisation (SSARO), at its Executive Committee Meeting in Mauritius, 27-28 September, adopted a resolution affirming continued commitment to challenge mining multinational Vale in Africa. “SSARO affiliates will oppose all Vale investments in Africa and those of its surrogates until Vale demonstrates a willingness to drop its anti-union behaviour,” states the resolution.

The resolution was adopted unanimously by the ICEM African affiliates, building on their commitment of 6 April during the ‘Week of Action on Vale’ when SSARO’s Executive Committee denounced Vale’s attacks on workers in Canada and throughout the world, and resolved to oppose the investment of Vale in Africa.

Vale continues hostile demands on workers at Voisey’s Bay, Newfoundland, Canada, to accept large concessions and worse terms than those agreed in settling the bitter disputes at Sudbury and Port Colborne. The corporate management of Vale maintains the unacceptable position that they cannot intervene in the dispute, instead settlement must be reached by local management and workers.

The ICEM and the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF) have been fighting a global campaign against Vale’s anti-union practices and efforts to spread their intolerable treatment of workers to Africa and throughout the world.

“The ICEM affiliates of Africa have shown their strength in unity by confronting the second largest mining company in the world, and refusing their anti-worker practices. We salute them for this and pledge our full continued support to the campaign,” stated ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda.

The opposition to Vale in Africa includes the 50/50 joint venture between Vale and African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), a South African mining company that acts as a gateway for Vale to Africa’s mineral resources.

Vale has begun construction of the Konkola North Project in Zambia, where the Brazilian multinational plans to invest US$400 in the copper mine. This is strongly opposed by the Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ), who have questioned the legality of the mine’s lease.

ICEM affiliates in South Africa, Zambia, Liberia, and Guinea have been at the forefront of opposing Vale expansion. Unions have been informing government officials on Vale’s global misconduct, and of their demand that Vale move to settle the dispute at Voisey’s Bay before entry of the company is considered.

“The global campaign will benefit all mining unions. We cannot allow Vale’s practices to be imported into Africa or any other continent for that matter,” stated ICEM Director of Industry & Corporate Affairs Joe Drexler.

View the Resolution in its entirety here.

Participants at the meeting approved the joint proposal of the United Steelworkers (USW) to hold a regional meeting on Vale in Africa. In these decisions, SSARO emphasised the importance of closer contact with trade unions in Brazil and Mozambique.