Living under the threat of bursting mining dams 10 April, 2019Barely 500 metres separates the first houses in the Rio do Peixe neighbourhood of Itabira and the fifth largest mining dam in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. “If anything happens to the dam, we won’t have time for anything. We have been told it is a matter of seconds. We are risking our lives by staying here. If I could I would leave here immediately,” says Claudinei Ferreira, a 32-year-old mechanic who has lived in this town of 120,000 inhabitants for five years.
Rio Tinto poisons steel industry sustainability14 June, 2012At the latest meeting of the OECD Steel Committee workers' representatives voiced concerns over the sustainability of the steel industry when major suppliers such as Rio Tinto continue to abuse workers' rights and ignore public warnings.
STATEMENT: Brazilian National Contact Point fails workers and justice after dam disaster20 December, 2019IndustriALL Global Union and the Building and Wood Workers’ International are disappointed with the performance, including the final statement of the Brazilian National Contact Point in response to their joint complaint under the OECD Guidelines against Vale S.A. and BHP Billiton.
IndustriALL and BWI file OECD complaint against BHP Billiton and Vale 26 March, 2018IndustriALL Global Union and the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) have filed a complaint against the British-Australian company, BHP Billiton, and Brazilian mining multinational, Vale S.A., under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
Victims of Brumadinho disaster call for settlement with Vale to be overturned16 February, 2021Mining company Vale and the Minas Gerais state government have reached a settlement over the tragedy that took place two years ago in Brumadinho, Brazil. But affected communities say they were left out of the negotiations and are petitioning the Federal Supreme Court to overturn the agreement.
Two years after Brumadinho disaster, safety concerns persist at Vale26 January, 2021Two years after Brazil’s worst environmental and industrial disaster, subcontractors at mining company Vale are still raising concerns over health and safety and bullying by management.
“Vale have murdered us all”23 January, 2020One year ago, the Brumadinho mine disaster took the lives of 272 people. We look at the human impact of an avoidable tragedy caused by corporate greed and negligence.
Brazil closes 47 unsafe mining dams 16 April, 2020Brazil has ordered the immediate closure of 47 tailings dams as their stability could not be certified. More than half of the mines belong to Vale, the company responsible for the country's worst ever environmental and human disaster.
Vale must be held accountable for Brazilian dam disaster 28 January, 2019Vale must be held accountable, say global unions IndustriALL and Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) as hundreds are feared to have died as a result of a dam collapse at Brumadinho in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais on 25 January.
Brazilian court clears BHP, Samarco and Vale of environmental crimes in Mariana21 November, 2024The Brazilian justice system has cleared mining companies: Samarco Mineração, BHP and Vale of criminal charges relating to the environmental disaster near the city of Mariana in 2015. IndustriALL condemns the companies for manslaughter and environmental crimes and calls on them to take responsibility for the catastrophe.
