Union advocacy cuts mine worker fatalities in Pakistan in 202516 January, 2026After years of dangerous working conditions in Pakistan’s mines, reported accidents have declined in 2025, following sustained union pressure, the introduction of new safety legislation and targeted occupational health and safety measures in high-risk mining areas.
Curbing violations by Chinese multinationals in African critical minerals boom31 October, 2025As the world races towards net zero, Africa’s vast reserves of cobalt, lithium and copper, which are vital for electric-vehicle batteries and renewable-energy technologies, have huge potential to industrialize the continent and boost manufacturing. Yet in the extraction of the critical minerals, Chinese multinationals, are engaging in unfair labour practices, paying low wages, and destroying the environment.
Indonesia: seven Freeport workers killed at a landslide at Grasberg14 October, 2025After a month-long rescue mission, the bodies of seven Indonesian and migrant workers were discovered on 5 October at Freeport-McMoRan’s Grasberg mine. The workers had been trapped underground following a landslide on 8 September, when an estimated 800,000 metric tonnes of mud suddenly flowed into the cave.
Union fury erupts over forced Mothae Mine layoffs3 July, 2025The Independent Democratic Union of Lesotho (IDUL) is strongly objecting to the forced leave of 400 workers at Mothae Diamond Mine in Lesotho.
Human rights due diligence: an imperative for critical raw materials in the Global South2 June, 2025The global transition to renewable energy systems has intensified demand for critical raw materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper, particularly from resource-rich regions in the Global South. This surge underscores the urgent need for robust human rights due diligence (HRDD) in mining operations, as emphasized during a webinar on 22 May.
Coal is dead, long live coal: strategies from Global South unions1 April, 2025An online seminar on the future of coal on March 20 took place at a time when there is an intricate interplay of factors that include the opening of new coal mines, technological innovation, and geopolitical dynamics in the mining of coal. For countries in the Global South, coal accounts for about 70 per cent of energy generation capacity. Participants in the online seminar said Indonesia, and South Africa, get most of their energy from coal while Zimbabwe uses coal in its energy mix.
Union training for Tunisia's mine workers7 October, 2024Earlier this year, IndustriALL, togther with Tunisia’s trade union confederation UGTT and our mining affiliate Fédération Générale des Mineurs Tunisiens – GTUM-UGTT, launched a training programme for mining unions. The programme aims to train grassroot trade unions, with plans train around 200 unionists in different regions in Tunisia.
Iran: mine explosion kills 5026 September, 2024One of the worst industrial accidents in Iran killed 50 mine workers and injured 16 more as methane gas exploded in a coal mine in Tabas, eastern Iran, on 22 September. The day before the explosion, workers informed management about the smell of methane gas in the tunnels, but they were still made to go to work.
Coal mine workers demand a just energy transition12 September, 2024100 miners a day face job cuts as industry winds down coal. IndustriALL Global Union’s coal mining affiliates are set to challenge the coal mining industry and policy makers on the lackluster response to the grave implication of the climate change imperative to transition to a low carbon energy economy on coal mineworkers ‘s jobs, local community livelihoods and heavily coal dependent economies.
Labour inspection exposes sexual exploitation at Dharm Cutting Works Botswana12 September, 2024A scathing labour inspection report from the ministry of labour and social security condemned sexual exploitation by a general manager at Dharm Cutting Works Botswana – a diamond cutting and polishing company based in Gaborone.
