Strike averted: Nigerian unions vs Dangote

Brokered by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the agreement mandates immediate unionization at the refinery, with registered unions like NUPENG granted the right to organize workers. The process is to be completed within two weeks, with guarantees against the formation of competing employer-backed unions and protection for workers against retaliation for strike actions.

The agreement marks a significant victory for Nigeria’s labour movement, reinforcing the legal and moral imperative of workers’ rights to organize.

Two years ago, the inauguration of the US$20 billion Dangote Refinery in the Lekki free-trade zone near Lagos was heralded as a milestone for Nigeria’s industrial ambitions. As Africa’s largest refinery, it promised significant job creation and economic diversification.

However, optimism has soured due to the refinery’s initial resistance to unionization, particularly for drivers tasked with distributing petroleum products nationwide. The refinery, owned by billionaire Aliko Dangote and its distribution partner, MRS, controlled by Dangote’s relative Sayyu Ali Dantata, sought to exclude established unions like NUPENG in favour of an in-house union. This move prompted NUPENG, backed by the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), to call for a national strike.

The dispute intensified following Dangote’s importation of 10,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks in late August, aligning with the government’s push for greener fuel alternatives. Recruitment for drivers came with a condition: applicants were required to pledge allegiance to the company’s union, raising concerns about violation of workers’ rights. The unions argued that Dangote Refinery and MRS’s actions not only violate Nigeria’s Labour Act and Constitution, which safeguards workers’ rights to organize, but also contravenes International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 87 on freedom of association and protection of the right to organize, to which Nigeria is a signatory.

Furthermore, the companies’ apparent pursuit of a refining and distribution monopoly challenges the Petroleum Industry Act, designed to promote competition in a sector long plagued by inefficiency and corruption.

NUPENG’s leadership,president Williams Akporeha and general secretary Afolabi Olawale, condemned the refinery’s approach, accusing it of undermining collective bargaining and imposing exploitative contracts. “Wealth amassed through the suppression of workers’ rights is unsustainable and unjust,” they stated, emphasizing the centrality of union representation to fair labour practices.

Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary, welcomed the resolution:

“The actions of Dangote were a clear violation of fundamental trade union rights and IndustriALL intervened towards the company to push them to change their course. This agreement upholds national and international labour standards, befitting a leading African enterprise. We encourage Dangote Refinery to maintain constructive engagement with unions going forward.”

Photo: Shutterstock

Global Unions urge recognition of the state of Palestine

We call on all countries to take this vital step towards achieving a democratic and sovereign Palestine, living in just and lasting peace alongside a secure Israel.

In May 2024, leaders from across the Global Unions joined a historic delegation to Palestine. In Ramallah, they met with trade unions and senior figures within the Palestinian Authority. The message was clear: recognition of Palestine as a state is essential for building a sovereign, democratic future and for ensuring peace and dignity for its people.

Already, 147 of the 193 United Nations member states have formally recognized Palestine. The Global Unions commend those governments preparing to move forward with recognition during the 2025 UN General Assembly.

Recognition affirms the Palestinian people’s right to self- determination, strengthens international law and helps create the conditions for genuine negotiations between two equal parties. Recognition is also a step towards redressing the imbalance of power, which prolongs the illegal occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and instability while it continues.

Recognition of Palestine is not only a matter of justice but also of necessity. Decades of delay have brought only cycles of violence and despair and today those failures have culminated in catastrophic loss of life, mass destruction and the gravest humanitarian crisis faced by the Palestinian people in decades, as highlighted by UN experts last week. Recognition now would send a powerful signal that the international community will no longer accept endless deferral of Palestinian rights. It is the foundation on which a real peace process can be built.

For the global trade union movement, the principle is clear: workers everywhere are entitled to live in freedom, dignity and security. The Palestinian people deserve no less. Recognition of the State of Palestine must not be treated as a reward at the end of negotiations. It is an essential element of a just and durable peace.

We urge all governments to commit to this step at the United Nations. Recognition is a concrete expression of the international community’s will to uphold human rights, ensure compliance with UN Security Council resolutions, and advance the path to a free, independent and viable Palestine. Only on that basis can a secure Israel and a sovereign Palestine live side by side in peace.

Signatories: David Edwards, General Secretary, Education International; Atle Høie, General Secretary, IndustriALL Global Union; Luc Triangle, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation; Christy Hoffman, General Secretary, UNI Global Union; Steve Cotton, General Secretary, International Transport Workers’ Federation; Ambet Yuson, General Secretary, Building and Wood Workers International; Adriana Paz Ramírez, General Secretary, International Domestic Workers Federation; Daniel Bertossa, General Secretary, Public Services International; Kristjan Bragason, General Secretary, International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations; Veronica Nilsson, General Secretary, Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD; Anthony Bellanger, General Secretary, International Federation of Journalists.

Photo: Shutterstock

Macsteel strike ends as NUMSA secures worker reinstatement

The strike, which began on 22 August, was triggered by contentious retrenchments that NUMSA condemned as procedurally unfair and exploitative. Workers are set to resume duties on 8 September following a negotiated settlement that addresses key union demands.

The agreement marks a victory for NUMSA, with Macsteel conceding to reinstate all retrenched workers into positions within the company, preserving their wages, benefits and conditions. Further, even workers placed in lower-grade roles will retain their original salary scales, a critical safeguard for their livelihoods. Five workers who opted for severance packages over reinstatement will meet with NUMSA to confirm their decisions, ensuring informed choices.

The strike, described as a last resort by NUMSA, followed Macsteel’s refusal to consider union-proposed alternatives during Section 189 of the Labour Relations Act consultations which deals with retrenchments for operational requirements that include economic, technological or structural changes.

The dispute centred on Macsteel’s implementation of voluntary severance packages (VSPs) under Section 189, which NUMSA condemned as a sham. The union accused the company of coercing 253 workers into accepting VSPs valued at a mere R40 000 (US$1828), calculated at one week’s pay per year of service which is far below the industry norm of three to four weeks’ gross remuneration per year.

NUMSA described the process as unilateral, alleging that Macsteel issued termination letters and pressured workers without consulting the union, violating fair retrenchment protocols.

NUMSA’s demands included the reinstatement of the retrenched workers, improved severance packages and transparent, union-negotiated retrenchment criteria. The union argued that Macsteel’s actions reflected a broader pattern of employers exploiting workers during economic downturns, maximising profits in boom times only to discard workers with inadequate compensation during retrenchments. NUMSA called for government intervention through the Department of Employment and Labour to establish minimum standards for severance packages.

NUMSA general secretary, Irvin Jim, said:

“It should not be tolerated that employers can pay workers empty voluntary severance packages in the name of voluntarism. This is abuse. Greedy bosses must be stopped particularly when they have exploited workers for years.”

“Protection of workers livelihoods even during retrenchments is one of the core duties of a trade union and we commend NUMSA for going on strike to stop workers exploitation at Macsteel,”

said Paule-France Ndessomin, IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary.

Photo: Shutterstock

IndustriALL renews call for brands to leave Myanmar

The textile and garment industry is a major source of foreign exchange for the regime, helping to fund weapons, ammunition and fuel. The workers producing garments and footwear in Myanmar work in industrial zones under martial law. A 2023 ILO Commission of Inquiry found widespread violations of freedom of association and forced labour Conventions. In July, there were new reports of union leaders and labour activists arrested on unknown charges.

Despite these concerns brands like UK high street favourite Next and Dutch lingerie brand Hunkemöller have indicated an intention to remain in Myanmar, saying they are able to perform “enhanced due diligence” to mitigate the risk of human rights violations in the supply chain.

Next is also one of three brands, along with New Yorker and LPP, that IndustriALL filed complaints against at OECD's National Contact Points (NCPs) in November last year, on the basis that complying with OECD guidelines and human rights due diligence is impossible under a military dictatorship.

Trade unions and garment workers in Myanmar gained support from the International Labour Conference in June when the ILO took the extraordinary step of invoking Article 33 of its constitution against the military regime in Myanmar. Article 33 is the highest sanction in the ILO and has only been invoked three times in the organization’s history.

The resolution on Article 33 calls for governments, employers and workers to review investments in supply chains that may indirectly support the regime and disable all means that could be perpetuating egregious violations of workers’ rights

Says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie:

“By continuing to source from Myanmar, brands are helping to finance repression. The resolution on Article 33 makes clear that no business system in the world can mitigate the risks of operating under a dictatorship that outlaws independent unions and imprisons workers. The only responsible course is to withdraw and work with IndustriALL on a responsible exit that protects workers.”

Are diamonds forever?

Natural diamonds, formed over billions of years and prized for their scarcity, now compete with lab-grown alternatives that can be produced in large volumes within days or weeks. This structural shift threatens the economic foundations of diamond-dependent economies, particularly in Africa.

The Jwaneng meeting had 22 participants from IndustriALL-affiliated unions across Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, focused on strategies to engage diamond mining companies on workers’ rights and working conditions. Participants toured underground operations at Jwaneng, De Beers’s most profitable mine, which is operated by Debswana, a joint venture with the Botswana government. Yet even this flagship operation is not immune to the industry’s woes. Debswana is undergoing a restructuring that endangers 1,300 jobs, with over 650 workers already retrenched, reflecting the acute pressure from declining natural diamond sales amid competition from synthetics.

The meeting heard that in the cutting and polishing subsectors, the Botswana Diamond Workers Union is grappling with low wages, long dispute resolution processes, sexual harassment, workers’ rights violations and weak enforcement of labour laws.

The global diamond network is supporting the Luanda Accord, an initiative of the Natural Diamond Council (NDC) to boost consumer interest and demand for natural diamonds.

Governments and industry stakeholders signed the accord, but the network wants inclusion of trade unions as key stakeholders. The network has written to the NDC requesting a meeting to discuss union inclusion and the NDC has agreed to meet with unions.

Africa remains a cornerstone of global diamond production, with 15 countries — Botswana, South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Congo, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Ghana, Lesotho, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Tanzania and Togo — accounting for a significant share of output. Globally, Russia, Botswana, South Africa, Canada and Angola lead production.

Botswana has leveraged its high-quality gem diamonds to drive economic growth. However, the current downturn threatens the revenue from the diamonds.

Botshelo Kesebone, senior manager at Jwaneng argued that:

“Diamonds will last forever if they continue to empower workers, build nations and inspire sustainable futures. They will last forever if their brilliance is reflected not just in jewellery, but in the dignity and wellbeing of the people whose hands and hearts make their journey possible.”

Joseph Tsimako, president of the Botswana Mine Workers Union, emphasized the urgent need for economic diversification, advocating for investment in critical minerals and other priority sectors to mitigate the fallout from the diamond market’s decline.

“An investigation into other commodities, critical minerals and optimization of other priority economic sectors is needed to offset the economic deficit caused by the diamond sector sales slump,”

he said.

Masibulele Naki, National Union of Mineworkers, health and safety secretary and the global diamond network chairperson said:

“It is commendable that trade unions organizing workers in Botswana’s diamond industry are resilient in the face of job losses and the global diamond network will continue to provide support to protect workers’ rights and decent working conditions.”

Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL director for mining and diamonds said retrenchments are not the solution to the crisis facing the diamond industry.

“The diamond industry must not sacrifice jobs but must adapt its business model to the current realities which include lab grown diamonds.”

Korea: Passage of pro-labour bill marks progress, calls for further reform

On 24 August, the Korean National Assembly approved the amendment with a majority support from the ruling Democratic Party. The revision grants subcontracted workers’ the right to bargain collectively with the principal employer and restricts employers’ claim of loss of business due to strike activities.

IndustriALL Global Union affiliates Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU) and Federation of Metalworkers’ Trade Unions (FKMTU) said the historic labour law amendment is a positive step after a decade of struggle. However, the unions call on the government to continue reforming anti-union provisions in the TULRAA.

FKMTU welcomes the amendment as it directly addresses the contradictions of the subcontracting structure that is deeply entrenched in the metal industries, such as automobiles and steel. From now on, the real employers of subcontracted workers can no longer evade responsibility.

FKMTU president Kim Jun Young said :

“This amendment is not a victory that was easily handed to us. It is a historic achievement born from the cries and struggles of countless metalworkers who could not properly raise their voices on the conveyor belts, in front of the blazing furnaces and in dangerous subcontracted workplaces. FKMTU also fought together with subcontracted workers, on the roads and on the top of steel towers. Such desperate struggles became the catalyst that showed the world the just cause of amending the law.”

Meanwhile, KMWU issued a press statement criticizing the amendment for failing to expand the definition of worker, clarify principal employers’ responsibility for subcontracted workers and prohibit personal damage claims against individual unionists.

KMWU also questioned the six-month grace period and stressed that rights deferred are rights denied and called on the government to implement the amendment immediately. KMWU demanded the state and employers to withdraw ongoing lawsuits and employer-foisted damage claim suits against workers supporting subcontracted workers’ strike.

Furthermore, the union urges the new government to abolish anti-union policies created by the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration. For instance, the authority may supervise trade union finances without any allegations or requests, force trade unions to publicize union cash reserves, set a legal cap on time-off for union activities and treat collective bargaining beyond that limit as an unfair labour practice.

KMWU president Jang Chang-year said:

“The amended law still does not meet international standards. This is merely the first step. KMWU will now begin bargaining and struggling directly with principal employers, together with precarious workers. Through this path, we will defend the rights of all workers and plant the seeds of democracy in the workplace.”

Pakistan: Three workers killed in gas explosion in coal mine

Coal mines in Pakistan are infamous for hazardous working conditions causing hundreds of workers to lose their lives every year. According to reports, shared by IndustriALL affiliates in coal mining sector in Pakistan, at least 53 accidents have occurred from January to July this year, in which over a hundred workers have been killed and at least 190 left injured. The exact figures are probably much higher due to under-reporting of such incidents.

According to news reports, earlier this month youth in Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa organized a large protest rally against the growing number of accidents in coal mines due to unsafe mining practices and presence of many illegal mines. Coal mines in the country largely operate without adequate safety mechanisms, including personal protective equipment and access to immediate medical care in case of accidents.

Coal mine owners and operators do not provide any training to workers on safe mining practices and often there are no safety personnel present at the mining sites. Mine workers in these areas engage in long hours of unsafe work while receiving poverty wages. They are also not covered under any social security schemes.

IndustriALL affiliates have been making concerted efforts to get coal mine workers enrolled into social security schemes. With the support of IndustriALL, affiliated unions also conduct extensive workshops on safe mining practices along with advocating with government authorities for the ratification of ILO Convention 176.

IndustriALL South-Asia regional secretary, Ashutosh Bhattacharya, says:

“It is about time that the government of Pakistan along with coal mine owners take full responsibility of these incidents in coal mining areas which can be easily prevented by strictly implementing safe mining practices and ensuring a safe workplace for mine workers. We call on the government to immediately take steps to ratify ILO C-176 and prevent workers from losing their lives.”

Unions push for safer, organized artisanal gold mining in Zimbabwe

IndustriALL Global Union affiliates in Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) and the Zimbabwe Diamonds and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU), have committed to supporting these efforts.

Artisanal miners, who often rely on basic tools and minimal mechanization, face severe risks. Many lack proper personal protective equipment, exposing them to toxic substances like mercury, which harms lungs, skin and eyes while polluting the air, water and soil.

Poorly ventilated pits increase the risk of lung diseases like silicosis and pneumonia. Deep shafts, some reaching 40 meters, are prone to collapses and flooding, often resulting in injuries or deaths. Miners also lack adequate training on safety protocols, worsening these dangers.

On 20-21 August a delegation from IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional office, MUZ and ZDAMWU, visited artisanal mines in Mazowe, at the former Mettalon-owned Jumbo Mine and in Penhalonga near Mutare. The delegation, which included Zambia’s Luapula Mineral Miners Association representing over 200 small-scale mines which has signed a memorandum of understanding with MUZ, observed hazardous practices, such as miners descending shafts using ropes and communicating through plastic pipes. Further, women miners were processing gold using mercury with bare hands.

At a meeting in Mutare on August 22, artisanal miners requested financial support to mechanize operations and guidance on improving safety. Government officials, including representatives from the Office of the President and Cabinet, endorsed formalizing the ASM sector, urging miners to organize and improve wages and conditions. The Ministry of Mines and Minerals said that it provides loans and information to registered miners, while the Ministry of Labour emphasized support for better working conditions, contracts and wages. The National Social Security Authority highlighted its health and safety training programmes.

Other organizations, including the Centre for National Resources and Governance and the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions, also participated.

Union leaders stressed cooperation with ASM associations to improve safety and decent work.

George S. Mumba, MUZ general secretary said:

“ASM associations must work with trade unions to improve working conditions and health and safety.”

“We are calling for a national plan on responsible mining practices and standards that include ASM,”

added Justice Chinhema, ZDAMWU general secretary.

IndustriALL Sub-Saharan regional secretary, Paule-France Ndessomin, said:

“We continue to call for the formalization of ASM as most unemployed youth are earning a living in informal mining and for the protection of women who are exposed to hazardous chemicals and face gender-based violence and harassment.”

These efforts align with the International Labour Organization’s Recommendation 204 on the transition from informal to the formal economy and the African Mining Vision, which advocate for formalizing ASM. While Zambia has ratified International Labour Organization Convention 176 on safety and health in mines, Zimbabwe is yet to do so.

The cooperation between MUZ, ZDAMWU and ASM associations is backed by Union to Union under IndustriALL’s Union Building Project, promoting cross-border learning and stronger organization for Zimbabwe’s artisanal miners.

Zimbabwe’s more than 500 000 ASM extract gold, lithium, diamonds and platinum group metals and other minerals that include chrome, cobalt, copper, iron ore, tin, and gemstones.

Russian strikes continue to cripple Ukraine’s mines and communities

Russian attacks continue to devastate Ukraine’s mining towns, leaving mineworkers and their families in extreme danger. Constant shelling and drone strikes block evacuations in Rodynske, Bilytske, Bilozerske, Dobropillya and surrounding villages in the Donetsk region.

On 8 August, shelling provoked flooding of the Dobropilska mine, endangering miners and contaminating the region. Attacks also cut power to the Almazna mine. These mines sustain local economies and their destruction threatens thousands of jobs, livelihoods and environmental safety.

From 13 August and onwards, Russian attacks have resulted in power cuts at three major mines in the region. The bombardments have also prevented workers from relocating critical equipment from enterprises—equipment that preserves jobs, guarantees the right to work, maintains electricity supply and keeps Ukraine’s economy running.

Russian missiles and drones also devastate civilian infrastructure, with the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine expressing grave concern over the mounting civilian toll.

Mykhailo Volynets, chairperson of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine (NPGU) said:

“Every day, Ukraine’s energy sector and coal mining enterprises have been and remain one of the priority targets of Russian forces. Missile and drone attacks constantly cut off power to mines – putting workers in deadly danger. Every effort is being made to guarantee a stable heating season for 2025–2026, to safeguard the country’s energy security, to keep light in homes and electricity in hospitals and to provide for families. Ukrainian miners truly deserve comprehensive protection and support. Members of the NPGU continue to resist by working at their workplaces, volunteering and defending lives and peace on the frontline. We call on all our brothers and sisters, our sister organizations to continue helping us.”

Dmytro Zelenyi, head of the Dobropillia Local Organization of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine said:

“I want to emphasize that miners are courageous people as they work deep underground under constant attacks and they are also Defenders of Ukraine at the frontlines. Among our members are refugees from Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk and other mining towns. As a trade union, we are doing everything possible within our means to preserve jobs, support miners and evacuate our members, miners and their families. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing Russian aggression, our resources are decreased. We will be grateful for any assistance to our miners and their families.”

Yaroslava Bytiutska, head of the NPGU Primary Organization at the Tenth Mine Rescue Unit said:

“Just a year ago, I was at home in Myrnohrad (Donetsk region), where my family lived and my grandson went to school. We continued to work there despite Russian shelling, but then we had to evacuate to the city of Dobropillia and now we had to leave there as well. On April 30, the relocation site of our unit in Dobropillia was destroyed. One of our colleagues, Roman, suffered severe injuries and burns. For more than 20 years, Roman saved others and now he himself is in urgent need of treatment and rehabilitation. Today, mine rescuers have become targets for Russian forces. Our colleague, commander of the operational rescue squad Anton Zemlianyi, was killed while saving lives and volunteering to help residents of the Pokrovsk community last June.”

IndustriALL and Ukranian affiliates are demanding urgent intervention.

“We call on the ILO and the international community to act now to protect Ukrainian workers and deliver humanitarian assistance to displaced mineworkers and their families,”

says IndustriALL general secretary, Atle Høie.

On the eve of Ukraine’s mineworkers’ day, 31 August, IndustriALL stands firmly in solidarity with Ukraine’s mineworkers and their families.

“We demand an immediate end to Russia’s war of aggression and occupation,”

expressed Atle Høie.

IndustriALL stands with UGTT against escalating attacks

These attacks have been going on for months, seeking to restrict the national role of the UGTT in defending workers and citizens. The attacks include the suspension of social dialogue, the passing of laws without consulting the social partners, the prosecution of trade unionists.

We salute the courage of the UGTT leaders and members in confronting these attacks and continuing to defend trade union rights, and in doing so preventing interference in trade union affairs. We express our strong solidarity with the UGTT march scheduled for today, 21 August.

The UGTT continues to play a key role in promoting democracy in Tunisia and was among the four groups awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015 for their role in the Arab Spring.

We urge the Tunisian authorities to resume social dialogue in accordance with international labour standards, respecting freedom of association, and to cease their attacks on the UGTT and its leaders.

Photo: UGTT headquarters, Tunis, Tunisia