Human rights due diligence: an imperative for critical raw materials in the Global South 2 June, 2025The global transition to renewable energy systems has intensified demand for critical raw materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper, particularly from resource-rich regions in the Global South. This surge underscores the urgent need for robust human rights due diligence (HRDD) in mining operations, as emphasized during a webinar on 22 May.
Health, safety, and Just Transition top the agenda at MENA oil and gas trade union meeting27 May, 2025On 27-29 April, the IndustriALL Global Union MENA oil and gas union network met in Istanbul, Türkiye, with the participation of unions from Iraq, Bahrain, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Palestine and Türkiye.
Tunisia’s Parliament approves disputed labour law 27 May, 2025On 21 May, Tunisia’s Parliament passed a new law regulating employment contracts and restricting subcontracting. The law, referred to as the “subcontracting law,” introduces penalties, including potential imprisonment, for those hiring through outsourcing arrangements. It also replaces fixed-term contracts with open-ended ones, while allowing some exceptions. The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) reveals numerous shortcomings and loopholes in the new text and warns of repercussions on workers.
From Belarus to biohazards: unions demand action at ILC 27 May, 2025The 187 member states of the International Labour Organization meet every year in June at the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland. This year’s ILC starts on 2 June and will address possible new international standards on the protection of workers against biological hazards in the working environment and decent work in the platform economy.
South Africa: Women miners stripped naked at Kopanang gold mine 22 May, 2025IndustriALL Global Union affiliate the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is condemning the dehumanising body searches that women miners are being subjected to daily at Kopanang gold mine - about 170 km southeast of Johannesburg.
South East Asia: Building youth power and more youth structures21 May, 2025Young union leaders from South East Asia are strengthing youth power and building more youth structures through strategic planning and collective action. From 16-19 May, 22 young activists from Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam gathered in Manila for the second year of the FES IndustriALL South East Asia youth leadership academy.
Textile and garment unions in Asia-Pacific advance Just Transition agenda 21 May, 2025On 15-16 May, affiliates from the Asia-Pacific textile, garment, shoe and leather (TGSL) sector met in Hanoi, Vietnam, for a regional workshop on Just Transition. Organized by IndustriALL Global Union and Japanese affiliate UA Zensen, and hosted by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), the event brought together more than 40 trade leaders to exchange experiences and strengthen solidarity within the sector.
Vaal reefs mineworkers remembered15 May, 2025In a sombre candle lit ceremony, over 300 workers, families and community members, representatives of mining companies, government officials and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members gathered in Orkney on 10 May to remember 104 Vaal Reef gold mineworkers who died in the worst elevator accident, in history, in 1995.
Implementing human rights due diligence in Türkiye's auto supply chains15 May, 2025Building on the momentum of the workshop held in November last year, key stakeholders in the auto sector from Türkiye and Germany met in Ankara on 28–29 April for the second meeting of the multi-stakeholder dialogue platform. The aim is to promote and implement the principles and instruments of HRDD, particularly in the world of work and regarding trade union rights.
IndustriALL leadership reaffirms solidarity with Pakistani workers12 May, 2025Workers’ rights are under severe attack in Pakistan as the country debates labour law reforms. Trade unions in the country have been vehemently opposing the proposed anti-worker changes to labour law and have held several joint protests across the country in this regard. During a visit to Pakistan in the first week of May, IndustriALL leadership extended solidarity and support to workers and unions for their relentless struggle to safeguard workers’ rights.
