Mexican lawyer wins top human rights award9 October, 2014Lawyer Alejandra Ancheita has been awarded the Martin Ennals prize, often dubbed the “Nobel prize” for human rights, for her relentless work defending migrants, mine workers and indigenous communities in her native Mexico.
Enough is enough, Rio Tinto!7 October, 2014As coordinated actions take place around the world on 7 October, a delegation from IndustriALL and Swiss affiliate UNIA met in Zurich to deliver the message of thousands of Rio Tinto workers around the world to stop violating workers’ rights and to ‘Clean up Rio Tinto’.
Indonesia: another four workers killed at Freeport, Rio Tinto Grasberg mine2 October, 2014IndustriALL Global Union condemns Freeport McMoRan and Rio Tinto for the loss of yet another four innocent lives.
Soma mine was death trap, report shows2 October, 2014A scathing official report into the Soma mining disaster in Turkey has revealed a catalogue of negligent practices and a complete disregard for worker safety. The comprehensive analysis shows warning sensors were ignored, safety reports fabricated and ventilation systems faulty. Three hundred and one miners were killed in the tragedy in May.
Warning strikes at BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto mine in Chile 25 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 strikes 24 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 miners 2 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.
