Dangerous Xstrata-Glencore merger close to reality13 September, 2012Six months after the mining giant Xstrata and the commodities trading giant Glencore first announced their merger, the US$36 billion deal now seems close. A new and final offer has an approval deadline of 24 September.
Goldminers in Fiji call for union rights4 September, 2012On strike for the last 21 years, the Fiji Mine Workers’ Union, an affiliate of IndustriALL Global Union, lodged a submission to the Constitutional Commission in Vatukola on 31 August calling for improved workers’ rights in the country’s new constitution.
Another fatal accident at Toquepala - Southern Peru 31 August, 2012A worker has died at work after a metal sheet fell on him. The union says that health and safety managers are responsible, and that this is the fourth fatal accident in just over two years.
Carbones de la Jagua and Fenoco suspend employment contracts15 August, 2012Sintramienergetica is calling on the Colombian government to stop abuses by union-busting multinationals like Glencore, Drummond and Vale. After nearly one month on strike in defence of the terms of their collective agreement, directly and indirectly employed workers at Carbones de la Jagua and Fenoco have been sacked.
Peace talks hoped to turn page on Lonmin troubles30 August, 2012All efforts are now pushing towards a peace accord at the Marikana platinum mine, with 50 negotiators filling the neighbouring Rustenburg town hall under mediation of labour ministry officials.
Spanish miners’ march against government cuts5 July, 2012After 23 days of strike, members of the IndustriALL affiliated unions Federación de Industria CCOO and FITAG-UGT started the miners’ march, leaving the mining region of northern Spain on 22 June and due to arrive in Madrid on 11 July.
Mining accident in South Africa kills 5 workers6 July, 2012On 2 July, five workers were killed and 14 others were hospitalized for smoke inhalation at the KDC West mine operated by Gold Fields in South Africa, when a fire broke out. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) put the blame on poor mine management. NUM will conduct a memorial service for the deceased in their memory which is attended by the all the workers at the mine.
8,500 utility workers locked-out in New York19 July, 2012IndustriALL affiliate, the Utility Workers Union of America is calling for solidarity after the electric and gas utility company Consolidated Edison locked out 8,500 workers on 1 July 2012.
Workers celebrate agreements with ArcelorMittal in Pittsburgh and Monrovia.20 September, 2012IndustriALL Global Union U.S. affiliate United Steelworkers (USW) reached a tentative new three-year agreement with ArcelorMittal for the company's operations in USA. One month earlier, the United Workers Union of Liberia (UWUL) managed to get their first deal with the same company.
Calls for safety standards in artisanal mining as Zimbabwe’s flooded gold mines claim 28 lives21 February, 2019Eight artisanal miners were rescued last week while 28 died when Cricket and Silver Moon gold mines in Battlefields, 175km from Harare, flooded after heavy rains. More are missing and feared dead with heavy rains continuing to slow down rescue efforts.
