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11 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 6/1998
South African President Nelson Mandela is likely to meet next week with leaders of trade unions organising worldwide in Rio Tinto, the world's biggest minerals company.
The talks with Mandela are scheduled as part of a meeting in Johannesburg on 7-9 February, aimed at establishing a global network of unions with members in Rio Tinto. Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke will also be taking part in the meeting, which will draw up a long-term trade union strategy vis-a-vis Rio Tinto.
The company's anti-union stance in many parts of the world is of growing concern to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), which is organising the Johannesburg meeting. Rio Tinto is also under attack by many community groups because of its poor social and environmental record.
Some 40 representatives of unions from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Namibia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Sweden, South Africa, UK, USA and Zimbabwe will attend the talks. All participants will represent workers in major Rio Tinto operations.
Hosting the event is South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), whose President James Motlatsi will be among the principal speakers. Motlatsi is a Vice-President of the ICEM.
One country where unions have been feeling the full brunt of Rio Tinto's de-unionisation attempts recently is Australia. John Maitland, ICEM Vice-President and General President of Australian miners' union the CFMEU, will make a major presentation on the aims of the planned new Rio Tinto union network, as will ICEM General Secretary Vic Thorpe.
The meeting will also hear from British solicitor Richard Meeran. He is acting on behalf of Scottish engineer Edward Connelly, who is currently pursuing Rio Tinto through the British courts. Connelly contracted cancer of the larynx after working at Rio Tinto's Rossing uranium mine in Namibia.
The talks with Mandela are scheduled as part of a meeting in Johannesburg on 7-9 February, aimed at establishing a global network of unions with members in Rio Tinto. Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke will also be taking part in the meeting, which will draw up a long-term trade union strategy vis-a-vis Rio Tinto.
The company's anti-union stance in many parts of the world is of growing concern to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), which is organising the Johannesburg meeting. Rio Tinto is also under attack by many community groups because of its poor social and environmental record.
Some 40 representatives of unions from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Namibia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Sweden, South Africa, UK, USA and Zimbabwe will attend the talks. All participants will represent workers in major Rio Tinto operations.
Hosting the event is South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), whose President James Motlatsi will be among the principal speakers. Motlatsi is a Vice-President of the ICEM.
One country where unions have been feeling the full brunt of Rio Tinto's de-unionisation attempts recently is Australia. John Maitland, ICEM Vice-President and General President of Australian miners' union the CFMEU, will make a major presentation on the aims of the planned new Rio Tinto union network, as will ICEM General Secretary Vic Thorpe.
The meeting will also hear from British solicitor Richard Meeran. He is acting on behalf of Scottish engineer Edward Connelly, who is currently pursuing Rio Tinto through the British courts. Connelly contracted cancer of the larynx after working at Rio Tinto's Rossing uranium mine in Namibia.