Health and safety

IndustriAll demands strong international health and safety standards and empowering workers' rights to:
- know about hazards;
- refuse or stop unsafe work; and
- participate in health and safety decision making.
Workers' rights, employers' responsibilities, and good laws, equal healthy and safe workplaces!

Contact person:

Brian Kohler
email: [email protected]
Tel. +41 22 304 18 49
Fax: +41 22 304 1841

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Timeline

April 28 - International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers

Text of the Agreement with ArcelorMittal on OHS

Shipbreaking - graveyard for ships or workers?

13 November 2018 at 12:00

Two workers have died and seven have been injured in a series of accidents at the Sitakund shipbreaking yard in Bangladesh. 19 people have been killed in Bangladeshi shipbreaking yards this year, the highest number in eight years.

Four workers killed at Neharia underground mine in India

1 November 2018 at 15:23

Four workers were killed and one seriously injured in a mine accident on 25 October 2018 at Western Coalfields Limited’s (WCL) Neharia underground mine in the Pench region, Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh.

IndustriALL investigation uncovers exploitation of Shell workers in Nigeria

24 October 2018 at 10:38

A new report from a fact-finding mission by IndustriALL Global Union has revealed the shocking exploitation of contract workers at Shell oil and gas operations in Nigeria.

Unions stand up to BHP at AGM

18 October 2018 at 17:20

IndustriALL Global Union and affiliates representing BHP workers in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Colombia challenged the mining giant’s unsustainable and dangerous business model, at its annual general meeting in London on 17 October.

Coal mining unions demand Just Transition

15 October 2018 at 18:44

IndustriALL Global Union’s network of coal mining unions met in Delhi, India, to escalate efforts to achieve a ‘Just Transition’ in order to defend coal miners’ interests in the face of challenges from climate change, Industry 4.0 and dangerous working conditions.

Death toll rises to 12 in Indian steel plant blast

10 October 2018 at 17:36

A gas pipeline explosion at the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) Bhilai steel plant in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh on 9 October 2018 has killed 12 workers, while 11 others suffered severe burns.

Global unions condemn anti-union violence in Colombia

5 October 2018 at 13:23

Violence against union leaders has reached dizzying levels in Colombia. The Ombudsman's Office of Colombia recently reported that 343 social leaders and human rights activists have been murdered across the country since the peace agreement was signed in 2016.

Workers in South Africa strike against union bashing at Lanxess mine

3 October 2018 at 15:47

Mineworkers at a Lanxess chrome mine in South Africa are striking against union bashing and strongly condemn the management’s refusal to recognize the union. They are also protesting the company’s denying of organizing rights.

Black Day: unions in Pakistan protest mine deaths

2 October 2018 at 12:18

Unions in Pakistan held a day of mourning and protest on 28 September at the continued death toll in the country’s mines, and called for the ratification of ILO Convention 176.

Copper workers face threats in Chile

3 September 2018 at 09:34

Leaders of the trade unions representing workers at Chile’s state-owned copper company Codelco are receiving threats over their union work.

Union leaders in Colombia face threats and violence

29 August 2018 at 12:08

Colombia is one of the ten most dangerous countries in the world for workers and trade union leaders, where 19 trade union members have been murdered so far this year. IndustriALL Global Union and other federations have expressed their concerns to Colombia's president, Iván Duque.

Pakistan: 19 miners including rescue workers die in coal mine accident

16 August 2018 at 16:11

On 12 August 2018, two days before Pakistan’s Independence Day, a total of 19 including 13 coal miners and six rescue workers died in a horrific accident at Sanjidi coalmine near Quetta in Baluchistan province.

Case study: Glencore in Colombia

2 August 2018 at 09:34

Colombia is another of the resource-rich, conflict-ridden countries favoured by Glencore. The company is well known in the country for its violations of the environment and workers rights, including health and safety and the freedom of association.

South Africa: Mine responsibly and improve working conditions, recommends report

30 July 2018 at 10:06

If public statements on working conditions by mining companies are to be believed, the demands by trade unions on health and safety, workers’ rights, and the ending of unethical labour practices would have been met.

Energy unions demand Just Transition at world conference

26 July 2018 at 16:45

Energy trade unions from 50 countries are united in demanding a Just Transition to protect the rights and living standards of workers as the energy industry experiences massive change.

Brazil's trade union centres seek to further the country's development

26 July 2018 at 16:33

Brazil's seven trade union centres have come together to launch a "Priority Agenda for the Working Class", which includes recommendations on how to further the country's development. They are also organizing a national day against unemployment on 10 August.

Sustainable energy policies vital, say electricity and nuclear unions

25 July 2018 at 07:50

Countries need to develop sustainable, mixed energy policies to ensure a continuous power supply, said representatives of trade unions representing electricity and nuclear workers meeting in St Petersburg, Russia, on 24 July.

Deadly Georgian mine closed after multiple fatalities

18 July 2018 at 19:40

The Mindeli coal mine in Tkibuli, Georgia, has been closed after four miners were killed, and six others were injured.

South Africa: Six workers die in underground fire at copper mine

18 July 2018 at 16:20

With six mineworkers killed and 48 injured in an underground fire at Palabora Copper Mine in the Limpopo Province caused by a burning conveyor belt, increasingly South African mines are becoming death-traps for mine workers.

Bangladesh Accord arbitration cases - resulting in millions-of-dollars in settlements - officially closed

18 July 2018 at 12:10

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) has announced that two landmark cases against multinational fashion brands brought under the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety have been officially closed. The tribunal hearing the case issued termination orders this week, and the cases were brought by global unions IndustriALL and UNI.

India: Six workers die at Gerdau steel plant

13 July 2018 at 16:24

Six workers died and three more workers are under treatment in a gas leak accident at the Gerdau steel plant at Tadipatri of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh on 12 July.

Turkish court sentences Soma bosses up to 22 years in prison over deadliest mine disaster

13 July 2018 at 15:54

After a four-year judicial process, a local penal court in Turkey has handed down prison sentences to the former management of the Soma mine following the killings of 301 people in the country’s worst ever mining disaster in May 2014.

Building power to make a difference

5 July 2018 at 12:27

IndustriALL’s regional conference in Kuala Lumpur on 3 – 4 July, brought together unions from the region, providing a platform to highlight and discuss wins, struggles and how to promote women and youth in union structures.

Shell’s abuse of workers exposed at London green-washing festival

4 July 2018 at 15:52

IndustriALL Global Union is calling on Shell to respect the rights of hundreds and thousands of contract workers toiling at its operations around the world, as the company holds its annual green-washing festival in London.

New standard for responsible mining released

28 June 2018 at 10:15

IndustriALL Global Union welcomes the release of the Standard for Responsible Mining today, a ground-breaking global certification programme for industrial-scale mine sites launched by the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA).