Class action lawsuit for South African coal miners22 April, 2026A landmark class action lawsuit seeks redress for tens of thousands of former coal miners and community members whose lives have been affected by exposure to coal dust and polluted environments in South Africa’s coal mines. The case, filed in the Gauteng High Court, targets South32, BHP Billiton PLC, and Seriti Power.
Deadly mud rush traps miners 800 metres underground24 February, 2026Trade unions affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union have called for a formal inquiry into the incident at Ekapa diamond mine in Kimberley, where five miners remain trapped underground following a severe mud rush. Rescue operations have been abandoned amid persistent flooding.
Four years of war: Workers still paying the price in Ukraine17 February, 2026Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Ukrainian workers continue to face deadly attacks on mines, railways and energy infrastructure. Trade unions are calling for peace, respect for international law and reconstruction grounded in workers’ rights and democracy.
Empowering African trade unions, enforcing rights with human rights due diligence12 February, 2026Human rights due diligence (HRDD) is fast emerging as a key organizing instrument for trade unions across Africa, particularly those operating in global value chains that stretch from Global North consumers to Global South extractive frontiers. A roundtable held on 9 February on the margins of the Mining Indaba in Cape Town brought unions together with the Competence Centre for Human Rights Due Diligence (CCHRDD) to explore how organized labour might capitalise on this framework.
MUZ wins wage deal from Lumwana, demands more for Zambian communities3 February, 2026The Mine Workers’ Union of Zambia (MUZ), an IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, has secured a victory in its latest round of collective bargaining with Lumwana Copper Mines, a key subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation. The parties finalized an agreement in Lusaka granting unionized workers a 13 per cent wage increase, effective for the year.
Chinese-owned Zimbabwe mine dismisses women after forced HIV tests2 February, 2026The management of a Chinese-owned gold mine in Zimbabwe is facing legal action from the union after subjecting female workers to mandatory HIV testing before summarily dismissing them. The union describes the management’s actions as a flagrant breach of national laws on privacy, equality and non-discrimination.
Safety and labour rights under threat at Armenia’s Akhtala mining plant30 January, 2026Miners at Akhtala Mining and Processing Plant CJSC, in Armenia, are facing serious occupational safety risks and labour rights violations, prompting calls for urgent government intervention as workers seek protection, fair wages and safe working conditions.
Social dialogue delivers higher allowances and shift work bonuses in Kyrgyzstan8 January, 2026Effective social dialogue between trade unions, government and social partners has resulted in a major improvement for workers in the Kyrgyz Republic, with daily allowances for work related travel and bonuses for shift (rotational) work has doubled from 1 January 2026.
African trade unions want critical minerals revenues to fund development2 December, 2025On 1 December, trade unions representing millions of African workers in mining, energy and manufacturing industries gathered in Addis Ababa, declared that unless the new African green minerals strategy (AGMS) is radically redesigned around decent work and local value addition, the green boom will simply become the latest chapter in the extraction and export of mineral resources.
At least 50 miners killed in Congo bridge collapse; unions demand action20 November, 2025The tragic bridge collapse at the Kalando artisanal copper and cobalt mine in Mulondo, Lualaba province, on 15November 2025, which claimed at least 50 lives and left dozens injured or missing, is a heartbreaking reminder of the deadly risks and hazardous conditions faced by artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
