Indonesia: seven Freeport workers killed at a landslide at Grasberg 14 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.
The other side of lithium: strengthening unions in the battery supply chain 9 October, 2025Given the central role that lithium plays within the global energy agenda, a seminar was held in Antofagasta, Chile, on how to strengthen unions in the lithium sector. The event, which ran on 30 September and 1 October, was attended by leaders of mining unions in Chile and Argentina. It was part of IndustriALL’s strategy to support its affiliates in the battery supply chain, in light of the continuing labour rights violations in the sector.
Indian unions demand Just Transition in coals and renewables12 August, 2025With its renewable energy sector expanding rapidly while traditional sources such as coal continue to grow India is currently at a crossroads. Despite the heavy reliance on coal, the country has begun closing mines and shifting to renewables as part of its efforts to achieve the 2070 net-zero target. In this context, it is crucial to understand workers’ concerns and advocate for worker-centered policies to ensure a Just Transition.
Türkiye bans mineworkers’ strike with midnight presidential decree31 July, 2025The Turkish government has banned a lawful strike by mineworkers at state-owned Eti Maden, using a last-minute presidential decree to halt preparations for industrial action just hours before it was due to begin.
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 South 2 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 unions 1 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.
Safety lapses in Pakistan’s mines continue to claim workers’ lives 5 November, 2024The situation in Pakistan’s mine is still deplorable. In the last week of October, at least five workers were killed owing to safety lapses in the mining areas of Balochistan.
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 50 26 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.
