Mine workers prioritize health and safety29 July, 2026IndustriALL Global Union brought together affiliates from around the world on 28 July 2026 to address health and safety in mining as a priority. Participants called for faster ratification and implementation of ILO Convention 176 (C176) on safety and health in mines and for greater trade union involvement in risk assessment.
Union opposes De Beers plans to retrench 1,214 workers17 July, 2026The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is demanding De Beers exhaust alternatives before retrenching 1,214 workers at Venetia mine, which the company plans to close for two years.
Solidarity has never mattered more: unionists ahead of Durham Miners Gala10 July, 2026Today trade union representatives from across Europe and beyond gathered in Durham, England, for the joint industriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union international roundtable, “Sticking together – worker internationalism in volatile times.” The event brought together trade union leaders, activists and experts from different European countries and welcomed guests from Australia. Together they exchanged experiences, strengthened international cooperation and discussed how the labour movement can respond to the challenges facing workers in an increasingly uncertain world.
Gold is booming, miners are not benefiting1 July, 2026Gold prices are booming, but the workers who mine it say the boom has not reached them. That was the message from more than 50 trade unionists who joined IndustriALL Global Union's first Gold Sub-Sector Network meeting on 30 June 2026, a half-day virtual gathering bringing together affiliates from Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific to compare notes on subcontracting, safety and organizing rights.
Botswana diamond firm trampling on workers’ rights20 May, 2026The Botswana Diamond Workers Union (BDWU) has declared a formal dispute at Genesis HB Botswana, a diamond cutting and polishing company wholly owned by HP Antwerp, a Belgian diamond technology company. The Botswana government holds shares in HP Antwerp as part of its efforts to give the country a bigger stake in its own diamond industry.
International workers’ memorial day: when work breaks the mind as well as the body28 April, 2026Every year on 28 April, International Workers' Memorial Day calls us to remember those killed, injured or made ill by their work. This year, the crisis in focus is psychosocial risk, less visible than a chemical spill or a collapsed mine shaft, but no less deadly.
Unions fight for Ekapa workers as mud rush mine faces liquidation22 April, 2026The Kimberley diamond mine where five miners died in a mud rush in February is now facing liquidation. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa is challenging the process in court, arguing that workers who have already lost colleagues, and in many cases their wages, must not be abandoned.
Beyond the mining deals12 February, 2026The annual convergence in Cape Town of the Investing in African Mining Indaba and its counterpoint, the Alternative Mining Indaba, once again highlighted the stark divide that characterises much of the continent’s extractive sector: on one side, deal-making among investors, mining houses, and governments; on the other, demands from affected communities and trade unions for a more equitable share of the proceeds.
Union advocacy cuts mine worker fatalities in Pakistan in 202516 January, 2026After years of dangerous working conditions in Pakistan’s mines, reported accidents have declined in 2025, following sustained union pressure, the introduction of new safety legislation and targeted occupational health and safety measures in high-risk mining areas.
Mining unions pledge solidarity to confront global capital in a volatile sector3 November, 2025The mining and diamonds, gems, ornaments, jewellery, and processing (DGOJP) industries, long a cornerstone of global supply chains, are undergoing a deep transformation. Surging demand for battery metals including copper, cobalt, lithium, and nickel fuels the green-energy turn, while rare earths underpin everything from wind turbines to electric vehicles.
