Warning strikes at BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto mine in Chile25 September, 2014Workers at the Escondida mine and its port, Coloso, in Chile, went on strike at 8am on 22 September after members of Union Number 1 voted to stop work in response to the constant violations of Chilean law by the mine’s multinational owners, BHP Billiton and Río Tinto and the Chilean authorities’ failure to make the companies comply with the country’s legislation.
BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto workers in Chile on 24 hour strikes24 September, 2014Workers at Escondida, the world’s biggest copper mine, stopped work on 22 and 24 September in support of demands for improved working conditions.
IndustriALL joins mourning for five killed miners in Bosnia11 September, 2014Yet again this week mining trade unions are forced to mark the avoidable deaths of fellow miners, killed on 4 September by lax and underfunded safety procedures.
Striking miners in Iran are released4 September, 20145,000 striking miners in Iran went back to work on 3 September after the nine arrested workers were released, and the authorities made a verbal promise to stop privatization of the mine.
Mexican Appeals Court cancels last charges against Napoleón Gómez3 September, 2014After years of persecution, Napoleón Gómez Urrutia, President and General Secretary of IndustriALL affiliate the National Mine and Metal Workers Union, Los Mineros, has finally had all criminal charges against him dropped by a court in Mexico.
IndustriALL demands release of arrested Iranian miners2 September, 2014IndustriALL Global Union is calling on the Iranian President to release nine miners arrested on 19 August for striking at the Bafgh Iron Ore Mine in Yazd, Iran.
Toxic spill at Grupo Mexico copper mine28 August, 2014IndustriALL Global Union Mexican affiliate Los Mineros is calling for an independent enquiry into a toxic spill earlier this month that caused serious environmental damage at one of the world’s largest copper mines. IndustriALL, which is campaigning for sustainable economic policy, supports the call.
Madagascar: IndustriALL supports drive to organize, educate and fight back at Rio Tinto21 August, 2014IndustriALL Global Union, together with its affiliate, FISEMA, held a workshop on 8 August focused on organizing Rio Tinto’s workers and subcontractors at the company’s mineral sand mine operation QMM in Fort Dauphin, Madagascar.
Rio Tinto's 'sustainable mining' claims exposed31 July, 2014Global mining giant Rio Tinto markets itself as a 'sustainable company', writes IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary Kemal Özkan on The Ecologist. But serious failures in its reporting, and its attempt to hold an Australian indigenous group to ransom, reveal a very different truth: the company is driven by a reckless pursuit of profit at any cost.
Dying on the job is not the destiny of mine workers!30 July, 2014The Soma mine disaster in Turkey in May this year brought the daily horrors of mine workers toiling deep into the belly of the earth to keep the wheels of modern day life turning into sharp focus.
