Chile finally ratifies ILO C176 on mine safety 4 July, 2024After years of campaigning by IndustriALL and its affiliates, the government of Chile has ratified ILO Convention 176. Unions in the country welcome this important step towards a safer mining industry.
INTERVIEW: Chile: transforming the Labour Code18 May, 2015Determined, strong and with the courage of her convictions, Barbara Figueroa is a woman who doesn’t hesitate to say what she thinks. President of the Chilean trade union centre, the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Chile (CUT), she sees herself as “the leading spokesperson for the most important workers’ organization” in Chile.Increasing inequalities in pay, job security and social stability have led Michelle Bachelet’s government to send a bill to Congress to reform the Labour Code introduced under Pinochet’s dictatorship which ended in 1990. The new act aims to strengthen the collective rights of workers and promote a fairer system of labour relations. Figueroa is one of the main figures driving the change.
Warning strikes at BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto mine in Chile 25 September, 2014Workers at the Escondida mine and its port, Coloso, in Chile, went on strike at 8am on 22 September after members of Union Number 1 voted to stop work in response to the constant violations of Chilean law by the mine’s multinational owners, BHP Billiton and Río Tinto and the Chilean authorities’ failure to make the companies comply with the country’s legislation.
Glencore unions across Latin America call for a just transition14 March, 2023Glencore unions in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru are calling on the multinational to engage in dialogue with workers and communities to ensure a just transition that respects labour and environmental rights.
Another mining accident in Chile shows need to ratify ILO C1761 November, 2016Another fatal mining accident in Chile stresses the need for the government to ratify ILO Convention 176, on health and safety in mines.
Workers in Peru and Chile question BHP's response to Covid-19 29 May, 2020Several unionized BHP workers in Peru and Chile are questioning the company's response to Covid-19. They state that new infections persist in Peru and that in Chile the company recruits only workers who do not have pre-existing health conditions.
Young workers discuss Chilean IndustriALL union policies21 June, 2016Young workers affiliated to IndustriALL unions in Chile met to discuss union policies at a seminar in Santiago on 2 and 3 June.
New national industrial union takes shape in Chile3 December, 2013At the eighth national conference of the Chilean metalworkers’ confederation (CONSTRAMET) on 21-23 November, delegates made progress in discussions on the organization of a new national industrial union. This was a significant step forward in the task of creating a union that will negotiate at sector level and cover all manufacturing and extractive industries where Industriall represents workers at the global level.
Chilean copper workers announce national strike 20 March, 2013The Federation of Copper Workers (FTC), affiliated to IndustriALL, has called a national strike at state-owned CODELCO in support of demands for job security, dignified pensions and renationalization of the copper mines.
