Glencore faces global scrutiny over ESG failures

Delegates raised the company’s refusal to negotiate with workers on a fair and just transition and its ongoing aversion to sectoral dialogue that would ensure labour rights during the energy transition.

During the AGM, IndustriALL and its affiliates challenged Glencore’s board on a number of pressing issues.

Canada: delegates questioned why a clause on just transition and social dialogue was excluded from the collective bargaining agreement at the Horne smelter. They called on the company to engage directly with workers’ representatives and to commit to negotiated solutions that protect jobs and communities.

Colombia: Glencore has announced plans to close the Cerrejón mine in La Guajira by 2034 and recently confirmed significant production cuts. The lack of transparency around the closure process—especially in light of the company’s deeply criticized handling of the Prodeco shutdown—has intensified fear and uncertainty among workers and local communities. Many are still grappling with the fallout from that earlier closure. At the AGM, Glencore stated it had no official closure plan to share for Cerrejón.

“We call on the company to release its official mine closure document, to enable workers, the national government and affected communities to prepare and plan for a just transition. This request is not a call for early closure, but rather a call for preparation, coordination and fairness,”

says Juan Carlos Solano Guillen, transition secretary- Sintracarbon.

Sintracarbon also urged Glencore to support retraining and alternative employment programmes for former workers at La Jagua in the Prodeco area, which remains abandoned after the company withdrew operations.

Despite the escalating material risks associated with its operations, Glencore has declined to participate in the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), a globally recognized standard for responsible mining practices.

While Glencore’s CEO, Gary Nagle, insisted that health and safety remains the company’s top priority, delegates and community leaders rejected these claims. They argued that rhetoric must be matched by concrete action. From smelter closures to environmental damage, Glencore’s operations continue to harm workers and communities with little evidence of accountability or redress.

“We call on Glencore to engage in global social dialogue, commit to responsible mining standards and ensure that the shift to a low-carbon economy does not come at the expense of workers' rights and livelihoods. Until Glencore acts, the global campaign for justice, transparency and a just transition will continue to grow in strength and urgency,”

says Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL mining director.

In a Glencore network meeting, held a day before the AGM, union affiliates described a consistent pattern of misconduct. In Australia, Glencore is exceeding legal emissions thresholds and has dragged workers through the courts in an effort to block the “same work, same pay” campaign, instead of addressing pay inequality.

In South Africa, Glencore has closed smelters with little warning or planning, leaving workers unemployed and communities devastated.

“Are they able to sell the smelters to other businesses? Is this something that Glencore can look into,”

asks Donald Makofane, regional youth secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

In Canada, pollution from the Rouyn-Noranda smelter continues to threaten public health, emitting arsenic at levels thirty times above the provincial limit.

“We want to keep jobs, but not at the expense of our health,”

says Kevin Gagnon from Fédération de l'Industrie Manufacturière – FIM-CSN.

“Glencore cannot keep ignoring its responsibilities while communities suffer the consequences. We’ve campaigned for years and we’re not going anywhere. We will not be silenced.”

said Kemal Özkan, IndustriALL assistant general secretary.

Human rights due diligence: an imperative for critical raw materials in the Global South

Titled Critical Raw Materials and HRDD: Opportunities for the Global South, the webinar had 40 participants from the IndustriALL Global Union regional offices in Latin America, South East Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa and affiliated unions, alongside speakers from Industriall Europe and the University of the Western Cape, South Africa.

The webinar examined the interplay between the global energy transition and the socio-economic implications for mineral-rich regions, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa. Discussions highlighted the necessity of responsible mining practices, exemplified by frameworks like the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), to mitigate human rights abuses and environmental degradation. Recycling was also noted as a partial solution to reduce reliance on new mineral extraction, though its scalability remains limited.

Theodore Kamwimbi, a human rights lawyer from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), provided a scathing assessment of the DRC’s mining sector underscoring the pressing need for responsible mining practices to confront human and workers’ rights abuses and environmental degradation.

Despite progressive mining and labour laws, implementation lags significantly. Kamwimbi documented pervasive abuses, including hazardous working conditions, discrimination, health risks, restrictions on trade union activities, forced and child labour, environmental violations, and sexual harassment. He cited reports noting that corporate cover ups and weak governmental enforcement worsened these issues. In Zimbabwe, trade unions reported that state collusion with Chinese multinationals in lithium mining stifles freedom of association and union organizing efforts.

Sophie Grenade from Industriall Europe outlined the European Union’s response to its dependency on critical raw materials from countries like the DRC, South Africa and China. The EU’s Green Deal Industrial Plan and Critical Raw Materials Act aim to secure supply chains while promoting sustainability. Key regulations, such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, mandate companies to report and address supply chain risks starting in 2026. However, Grenade cautioned that these regulations face resistance from some employers, who argue they undermine competitiveness, casting uncertainty over their long-term implementation.

Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL director for mining, stressed on the role of trade unions in advancing HRDD by “monitoring corporate disclosures and conducting risk mapping.” He noted the absence of national action plans in many African countries, urging unions to advocate for their adoption and enforcement.

Kemal Özkan, IndustriALL assistant general secretary, emphasized the need for binding international and national regulations to “ensure fair trade, responsible investment, and local mineral beneficiation,” which are critical for holding corporations accountable in the Global South.

Discussions on union strategies on critical mineral resources will continue in conferences being organized by the IndustriALL Sub Saharan regional office on human rights due diligence and African Industrialization in September and November, respectively.

Unionist appointed minister of labour in Gabon

Isaac officially assumed his duties this month, with a mandate to strengthen labour policy implementation, reduce youth unemployment, currently at 36.9 per cent according to the World Bank and promote decent work through social dialogue. The unemployment rate is even higher among young women, underlining the urgency of inclusive job creation strategies.

ONEP, which organizes around 3,000 workers in Gabon’s oil and gas sector, welcomed the appointment, calling on the new minister to prioritize the improvement of working conditions and the institutionalization of dialogue between workers and employers.

Gabon’s economy is heavily reliant on oil, which accounts for roughly 40 per cent of GDP. This dependence exposes the country to global price volatility. As oil reserves decline, the government is shifting focus to economic diversification and sustainable development.

ONEP has called on the labour ministry to play a proactive role in developing employment opportunities in emerging sectors, particularly in the context of the country’s Just Transition. The union participates in the Sub-Saharan Africa Energy Network (SSAEN), which supports union involvement in decarbonization strategies and renewable energy frameworks.

Beyond oil, Gabon is expanding into natural gas and other sectors such as agriculture, tourism, digital technologies and mining. The country holds strategic reserves of iron ore, manganese and rare earth elements, critical minerals for renewable energy technologies, including electric vehicles and battery production. The development of digital industries is also advancing under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which Gabon has signed.

As the country navigates structural shifts, IndustriALL and ONEP emphasize that social dialogue must remain central. The appointment of a labour minister with deep union roots presents a valuable opportunity to ensure that workers' rights and protections are embedded in Gabon’s economic transition.

“I congratulate Brother Isaac on his appointment as minister of labour. The appointment of trade unionists as government ministers is a signal that the head of government takes trade unions seriously and we will follow developments closely. . This appointment, which brings union experiences on collective bargaining and social dialogue to government must, benefit workers in Gabon,”

says Atle Hoie, IndustriALL general secretary.

With major multinational companies such as TotalEnergies, Perenco, Vaalco Energy, BW Energy and the state-owned Gabon Oil Company operating in offshore oil fields, the labour ministry’s role will be key in overseeing decent employment conditions and fair transitions across the energy sector.

South Africa: Women miners stripped naked at Kopanang gold mine

Kopanang Mine was sold to Hong Kong based Heaven-Sent SA Sunshine Investment company by AngloGold Ashanti in 2018.

Over 12 women miners have reported violations of the degrading body searches including being stripped naked by the mine security under the pretext of looking for stolen gold. The number could be higher as some workers have been intimidated and are afraid to speak out. Those who have challenged the humiliating searches which happen at the end of miners’ shifts have been suspended. For example, one worker was suspended after she refused to take off her underwear and open her legs during the searches.

Further, the workers say that they are working for long hours and not allowed to take food underground. The NUM is considering taking legal action against Kopanang Mine and calling upon the department of mineral resources to investigate. The union is also meeting with Kopanang mine management and demanding that they desist from the violations. Additionally, the union says there are technologies that can be used in body searches that are designed in ways that respect workers’ rights to privacy and dignity instead of security guards stripping women miners naked. The ministry of women, youth and persons with disabilities, mine affected communities, and civil society organizations have also condemned the horrific violations.

At the NUM women’s conference in March, Magrett Gabanele, chairperson of women’s structure, said the union remains committed “to fighting against gender-based violence and harassment for women miners.”

“This is not only about labour violations and or privacy breaches, but also about gender-based violence at its most invasive and brutal. It is about the commodification of women’s bodies in the name of security. It is about the silent consent of those who benefit from systems that allow such dehumanization. When women’s bodies are sites of surveillance, suspicion and violence, it is not just an issue of poor management; it is a manifestation of entrenched patriarchy at the workplace,”

wrote Tania Bowers and Lebo Mncayi-Poloko former NUM women’s structure members in the Sowetan.

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

“The reprehensible actions of security guards at Kopanang Mine, which gravely violate the dignity of women, must be unequivocally condemned. The mine must urgently enact robust policies to stop this humiliation and gender-based violence.”

Vaal reefs mineworkers remembered

The event is part of the commemorations for the International Day for Health and Safety at work which is celebrated internationally on 28 April.

According to reports, the workers who had finished their shift and were surfacing were hit by a locomotive causing their cage to plunge 460 meters into the shaft. Investigations attributed the cause of the accident to multiple failures caused by negligence to adhere to safety measures. An inquiry by the Leon Commission recommended prosecution for culpable homicide of Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company, a subsidiarity of AngloAmerican which later became AngloGold and AngloGold Ashanti. Although this did not happen, the NUM said a class lawsuit can still be made.

However, the commission led to the passing of the Mine Health and Safety Act and stricter regulations in the industry. Since then, fatalities in the mining industry have reduced with the South African mining industry recording its lowest fatality in 2024 when 42 workers were killed in mine accidents according to mine occupational health and safety statistics. The NUM says these statistics “starkly illustrate that the occupational death chambers within the mining industry still persist.”

David Msiza, chief inspector of mines in the department of mineral and petroleum resources said: “South Africa must continue to promote accident prevention as lives are still being lost to accidents and occupational diseases.”

The Vaal Reefs Disaster Trust was established to support the miners’ 431 dependants from Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Lesotho and South Africa and provided financial assistance for education up to tertiary level. The NUM, an affiliate of IndustriALL Global Union, said the trust which was set up at the insistence of trade unions has since been wound up.

Nomthandazo Joni, one of the trust’s beneficiaries studied commerce and later trained as a health and safety officer, expressed how devastated the families were by the accident:

“Our mothers suffered the trauma of losing their husbands and most did not survive for long. Some families collapsed. Worse still, even beneficiaries who completed their studies are unemployed.”

Daniel Balepile, NUM president said:

“The trust’s main mandate was education and this was achieved as most of the beneficiaries completed tertiary education.”

“The Vaal Reef disaster reminds us of the dangers of neglecting safety in the mines and the greatest lesson from this tragedy is to remain vigilant on health and safety. We always stress on the workers’ right to refusal of dangerous work especially when their lives are at risk,”

said Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL director for mining and health and safety lead.

Union petitions parliament over workers’ rights violations at Fine Spinners

UTGLAWU, an IndustriALL affiliate, is “calling for an immediate investigation and rectification of the egregious violation of workers’ rights at Fine Spinners Uganda Limited.”

In the petition on 14 April, the union strongly reminded the employer of their responsibility because workers, “deserve to work in conditions that uphold their dignity and rights.”

The union outlined how garment manufacturer, Fine Spinners, is violating workers’ rights that are protected by national labours laws. These include violations on freedom of association by refusing to sign a recognition agreement with UTGLAWU which has unionized over 50 per cent of the workers. The employer has refused to sign for over 10 years and even ignored a directive from the ministry of labour and employment to comply with the law.

Fine Spinners is also not paying wages on time making life difficult for workers and their families as they fail to pay school fees, rentals and other basics. Further, the company is paying much less than other companies. The union says workers at Fine Spinners are paid 150 000 Uganda Shillings per month (UGX) (US$41) while the industry wages are around 800 000 UGX per month (US$217). Pregnant workers lack maternity protection, including maternity leave and are required to work night shifts. The employer is also failing to remit the national social security funds deductions. Further, workers have informed the union of being locked in factories without emergency exits.

In one case, a worker reported the sexual harassment she faced and physical assaults from an attempted rape that led to severe injuries to her neck and teeth. The worker, who was seven months pregnant, had a miscarriage because of the violent attack. She reported the attempted rape to the police and the case is now in Nakawa Magistrate Court. But Fine Spinners’ response to the court action was to terminate her contract after five years of service while the perpetrator, who is a manager, remains at work.

“There are alarming reports of gender-based violence, harassment and abuse including sexual exploitation and rape by some managers which have been reported to the police and yet the perpetrators are not punished,”

said Eli Peter Bendo, UTGLAWU, general secretary.

In letters to Fine Spinners, Ugandan Member of Parliament for Workers, Byakatonda Abdulhi, said he is facilitating dialogue between the garment company and UTGLAWU to address the union’s concerns. Trade union federation, the National Organization of Trade Unions, is also involved. Through its lawyers, Fine Spinners, indicated willingness to engage in dialogue with the unions.

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

“We welcome the facilitation of dialogue by the workers’ MP and urge Fine Spinners to stop abusing workers and respect workers and human rights as well as pay living wages.”

Unionist brings worker voices to Namibian parliament

In her maiden speech, on 9 April, she called upon the Namibian government to finalize on modernization of laws that include the Labour Act, the Social Security Act and Affirmative Action (Employment) Act to ensure compliance by employers. Further, she said the work of the employment equity commission must include gender equality and underrepresented workers. She also called upon the government to

“ensure that lawful strikes are respected, and that workers do not lose income when exercising their constitutional right to strike in pursuit of fair collective bargaining.”

Honourable Jonas from the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (MANWU) is an MP from the ruling SWAPO party. She previously worked in both the formal and informal economies as a security guard, street food vendor and hairdresser, and has been an active trade unionist since 2003 and rose up to the position of general secretary.

She also served in the union’s education department where she implemented programmes on health and safety, workers’ rights, gender equality, and campaigned for youth employment and living wages.

MANWU an IndustriALL affiliate and organizes workers in construction, metal, engineering, automotive manufacturing and other industries.

Jonas supported the national budget statement plans to create 500 000 jobs, provide quality education and healthcare, equitable access to land, housing and sanitation, and poverty eradication.

She was involved in campaigns for the ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 190 to end violence and harassment in the world of work. In 2020 Namibia became the first African country to ratify the convention. Since then, she is involved in campaigns to implement workplace policies as per ILO Recommendation 206 (Violence and Harassment Recommendation).

“I am a deployee of the workers. For too long the voices of workers have been missing in the legislative organ of the state hence many bills were passed in parliament that sometimes compromised workers’ rights. With my experience from the world of work, I will ensure that bills that are debated during my term as MP will consider workers’ voices,”

she said in an interview with IndustriALL.

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

“We celebrate the election of Justina Jonas to the Parliament of Namibia. This is a double victory for workers' voices and for the representation of women in legislatures in Africa. She is a brilliant example of the success of our regional campaigns for gender equality and advancing women leadership.”

Her Excellency, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is Namibia’s first woman head of state and more than 50 per cent of her cabinet is composed of women. The vice president is Lucia Witbooi and eight of the country’s 14 ministers are women. Namibia’s parliament also has more than 40 per cent women MPs sitting in the house while Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, the speaker of Parliament, is a woman.

Anglo American commits to dialogue with trade unions during demergers

IndustriALL and Anglo American signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cooperate on industrial relations, climate change, Industry 4.0 and the future of work. Through the MoU Anglo American committed to ensuring “workers’ rights to union membership and collective bargaining without fear of retaliation, repression or any other form of discrimination.”

The Anglo American global network meets annually with support from the multinational and IndustriALL. The network’s agenda includes promoting social dialogue, responsible mining standards and independent audits, and to jointly address environmental social and governance issues. Further, the MoU stresses on protecting workers interests during the energy transition and decarbonization, Just Transition plans, improved gender relations to address gender-based violence and sexual harassment (GBVSH), and better occupational health and safety. Living and social wages are prioritized. Anglo American’s sustainable mining plans and smart mining including digitalization and automation are also discussed. The meeting is also an opportunity to discuss current and emerging issues concerning the Mou.

The dialogue at this year's meeting focussed on Anglo American’s demergers. Trade union wanted assurance on the continuation of the MoU amid restructuring and demergers of several business units with only the mining copper and iron ore being retained as the core business. For example, Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), a leading global producer of platinum group metals with mines in South Africa and Zimbabwe, is going through a demerger. At the completion of the demerger scheduled for June, Amplats will be renamed Valterra Platinum Limited and be listed on the Johannesburg and London Stock Exchanges. Whilst Anglo American will retain 19.9 per cent stake post demerger, it intends to eventually exit from the company. The meeting heard that there is potential for platinum following the catalytic converters resurgence as the electric vehicle market slows down.

Restructuring is also taking place at diamond mining company, De Beers, with mines in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, which is facing stiff competition from lab grown diamonds. Anglo American is also selling its steel making coal assets in Australia to Peabody Energy and has already sold other assets in nickel mining.

The union concerns in current operations included concerns of effects of metals to lactation from mothers and absence of laundry facilities at operations in Botswana, and poor communications with mine managers which leads to mistrust. Other issues raised were inadequate consultations before retrenchment notices.

Davidzo Muchawaya, IRMA Regional Lead for Africa emphasized that unions must use the IRMA audit as a tool to fight for workers’ rights. She cited a recent audit at Anglo American’s Mogalakwena mine complex in Limpopo, South Africa, where 53 workers were interviewed. According to the audit report, the mine received IRMA 50 certification which means it met 40 critical requirements as well as 50 or 75 per cent on business integrity, planning for positive legacies, social responsibility, and environment responsibility. “Topics discussed included terms of employment and working conditions, with specific attention on the treatment of women and vulnerable groups, freedom of association, health, and safety, etc.”

On gender equality, diversity, and inclusion unions said gender stereotypes continued to hinder women’s promotion and that sex for promotions must end. In response, the Anglo American management reassured the meeting that all cases of GBVSH are investigated, and action taken against perpetrators including dismissals.

“The future of the MoU is critical especially with demergers but must hinge on a Just Transition plan that includes discussions on future jobs, stakeholder engagement strategies, accountability, and pathways for decarbonization,”

said Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL mining director.

Wage theft at Rio Zimbabwe starves mine workers

Rio Zim which owns Cam & Motor Mine, Renco Mine and Murowa Diamonds says it is facing operational and financial challenges and has sent most of the workers on leave. Only a few workers in the security and engineering departments are going to work. this is not the first time that Rio Zim has defaulted on wages. According to the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, in 2022 workers went on strike after they were not paid also for five months at Murowa Diamonds.

Rio Zim, which is listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, is a mining and metals company that owns gold mines, a nickel refinery and has stakes in coal mining and processing of copper and platinum group metals. Rio Zim became a Zimbabwean owned company when it separated from Rio Tinto plc.

According to ZDAMWU, affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, the workers have run out of money for food and school fees for their children. ZDAMWU has 1,167 members at Rio Zim.

“This prolonged period of unpaid wages is creating a humanitarian crisis that is affecting workers, their families and surrounding communities leading to severe financial hardships and emotional distress,”

said Justice Chinhema, ZDAMWU general secretary. The union has written to the ministry of labour to intervene.

Responding to the union plea, Rio Zim gave food parcels to workers on 9 April. While ZDAMWU welcomed the food parcels, the union insisted that Rio Zim must pay the outstanding wages to improve the workers’ plight. The food parcels are worth only US$20 when a general worker for instance earns $372 per month.

ZDAMWU has taken the case to the National Employment Council(NEC) of the Mining Industry which is made up of employers and employees of mining industry as defined by Zimbabwe’s Labour Act. The NEC promotes industrial harmony through collective bargaining, dispute resolution and setting up minimum conditions of employment.

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

“Rio Zim must stop sacrificing workers’ livelihoods when faced with financial difficulties but instead they should adopt strategies that protect workers’ wages and benefits.”

Call to protect workers' rights in Zambia’s mineral sector

The research entitled the impact of foreign direct investment on labour and trade union rights in Zambia’s critical minerals sector was conducted by Sekondi Consult.

With rich critical minerals deposits being found in the Copperbelt and other areas, trade unions fear that without compliance the minerals rush threatens gains made through collective bargaining and social dialogue. The minerals, which include copper, cobalt, lithium, tin, graphite, coltan, manganese and rare earth elements used in the manufacturing of renewable energy systems, electric vehicle batteries and energy storage solutions, have attracted investors from Canada, China, India, United Arab Emirates, the USA and other countries. Local investors and state-owned companies are also involved.

The workshop in Kitwe, 25-28 March, aimed at using the research findings to strengthen the Sub-Saharan Africa energy network (SSAEN) strategies for the energy transition. Twenty participants from Mine Workers Union of Zambia, affiliated to IndustriALL and representatives from artisanal and small scale mining (ASM) in North Western Province engaged in discussions on the report. Other participants were from IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), FES Zambia and the FES Trade Union Competence Centre for SSA (FES TUCC) which commissioned the research. The workshop was also supported by the United Federation of Danish Workers 3F which has a Just Transition programme with IndustriALL affiliates.

The report stated that 27,737 workers were employed by sub-contractors under precarious working conditions and said unions should campaign against this.

The workshop mentioned that environmental, social and governance standards were being neglected by some multinational corporations (MNCs) to the detriment of communities and the environment. To reverse this, the unions recommended that the Zambia Environmental Management Agency should monitor the environmental impact of mining and enforce regulations including in ASM. The researchers added that the government of Zambia is in the process of establishing a desk or an ASM department.

An example of poor environmental standards was given from the collapse of the tailings dam at Chinese MNC Sino-Metals Leach Zambia Limited copper mine in Chambishi on 18 February. The tailings polluted and poisoned drinking water with 30 000 cubic meters of concentrated acid and heavy metals. The toxic effluent was discharged into Mwambashi River, a tributary of the Kafue River – the country’s most important source of water which supports about 12 million people with drinking water, fish and crop farming and supplies the capital Lusaka as well as the city of Kitwe.

There were discussions on the memorandum of understanding on developing an integrated value chain on electric vehicles (EV) battery industries signed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the United States of America and Zambia in 2022. Participants mentioned that the DRC’s University of Lubumbashi is already manufacturing EV batteries.

The research recommended that the critical minerals sector should promote decent work: fundamental rights at work, occupational health and safety, job creation, job protection, social protection and maternity protection. On gender equality, there were calls to amend existing labour laws to allow women to be employed as miners using a quota system.
Thelma Nkowani, vice chairperson of the Women in Extractive Industry, Trade and Value Addition Association of Zambia dismissed stereotypes that mining was only for men:

“Women in mining are efficient, they work to the best of their ability.”

“Critical minerals underpin renewable energy and EV industries and are cornerstones of global decarbonization. Mining operations in the sector must ensure workers’ rights are protected and improve working conditions,”

says Paule-France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for SSA.