Malagasy unionists arrested over QMM protests must be released! 19 July, 2023From 26 June to 3 July, Madagascar’s independence days, communities from the villages surrounding the Rio Tinto subsidiary QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM) mining site at Mandena in Toalagnaro (Fort Dauphin) protested inadequate financial compensation on loss of livelihoods, water pollution, and community exclusion from consultations when the mining licence was renewed by the government. In dispersing the protestors, the police and gendarmerie used disproportionate force which saw ten demonstrators injured and over 80 arrested and imprisoned, including five trade unionists.
Georgian miners' win3 July, 2023An 18-day industrial action in Georgia's mining sector in the town of Chiatura has ended with important achievements as the employer agreed to the workers’ key demands, one of which was a twelve per cent salary increase in line with inflation in the country.
Unions demand sincere dialogue with Glencore ahead of AGM25 May, 2023Ahead of Glencore’s AGM on 26 May, IndustriALL Global Union brought together representatives from trade unions at Glencore operations around the world, as well as from communities touched by the Swiss mining company’s blatant lack of willingness to address serious environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues across its global operations for a pre-AGM.
Uneasiness over Glencore’s takeover bid of Teck Resources24 May, 2023Swiss mining and metal giant Glencore has made a hostile takeover bid of Canadian Teck Resources. Given the experiences of job losses, violations of workers’ rights and impact on the environment and communities after the Xstrata hostile takeover in 2012, IndustriALL and affiliates object to the bid.
Glencore short-changing mine workers in the DRC 24 May, 2023IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, Travailleurs Unis Des Mines Métallurgie, Energie, Chimie et Autres Industries (TUMEC), that organizes workers at two Glencore mines in Kolwezi, Kamoto Copper Company (KCC) and Mutanda Mining (Mumi), says the Swiss commodity trader and mining multinational is short-changing workers by paying them different wages and benefits for the same work.
Indian coal workers successfully bargain for a wage raise24 May, 2023Indian unions, including IndustriALL affiliates, have successfully negotiated with the Coal India management to secure a 19 per cent increase in pay and a 25 per cent increase in allowances.
Union win stops unfair retrenchments at Botswana diamond mine 8 May, 2023The Botswana Mine Workers Union’s (BMWU) win in an industrial court on 28 April has stopped unfair retrenchments at Lucara Botswana’s security department at the Karowe diamond mine, the same mine which unearthed “Lesedi la rona” (our light) in 2015 - the largest diamond to be discovered in a century. The mine has also dug three diamonds with over 1,000 carats each and sold “The Constellation”, an 813-carat diamond for a record US$63 million for a rough gem in 2016.
Strategizing on advancing union power of white-collar workers in Ghana 28 April, 2023Eighteen white collar workers from Ghanaian affiliates organising in the energy, mining, chemical, oil and gas, and public utilities, met in Accra on 26 April to discuss how they can develop organizing strategies and build union power in their sectors.
Fighting for decent work in the global minerals industry26 April, 2023Climate change calls for a historic transition to a low-carbon economy. Phasing out fossil fuels in favour of green energy is a major feature of that climate action, estimated to require ten times more electric vehicles and battery storage. This in turn depends on a consistent supply of minerals including cobalt, lithium, nickel and graphite, as the component elements of digital devices, screens and systems.
Kazakhstan needs genuine social dialogue11 April, 2023On 4-5 April, IndustriALL Global Union and the mining and metallurgical trade union Kazprofmetal held a joint strategic activity on union organizing in Astana, Kazakhstan, for union leaders and activists from most of the country's metallurgical operations.
