mining
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in manufacturing, research and development, mining and materials around the world.
1984-85: Lesbian and Gay Miners' Support Group
A short history of the Lesbian and Gay Miners' Support Group, who were set up during the 1984-85 miners' strike and, as a result, challenged prejudices held by many in the labour movement.
Before the miners' strike it would have been very hard to imagine a miners' minibus running around Dulais Valley in South Wales with the slogan on its doors and dashboard saying, 'This vehicle was donated by the Lesbians' and Gay men's miners' support group.'
A climatic disorder? Class, coal and climate change - John Cunningham
At last November’s NUM convened conference, trade unionists and Climate Campers were invited to debate the explosive cocktail of (clean) coal, class and climate change. John Cunningham reports on the frustrating attempts to find a middle ground.
Source; http://www.metamute.org/node
Tanzania miners: digging their own graves
A new report into the mining industry in Tanzania has exposed endemic corruption, displacement of the poor, environmental destruction and deteriorating working conditions in the poverty-stricken country as international corporations clean up.
The Bomani report found that two companies in particular, Canadian group Barrick and the South African firm AngloGold Ashanti, which between them hold the vast majority of the mining rights and operating facilities in Africa, have been systematically cutting local communities out of the deicision-making process, manipulating state and national politics and mistreating workers as they haul in huge
Regeneration, but not for miners
Funding for the coalfields has been lauded by the government as a stunning transformation of old mining communities through free-market activity allied with government nous. But buried in amongst the back-slapping are figures which show the ex-miners themselves have been left in the cold while the wealthy profit around them
Despite massive investment in mining communities damaged by Thatcher’s victory in 1984 and with winding down of coal mining in the 1990s, the money has gone not to local workers but to regeneration groups and businesses, according to a new report.
Protests across Indian economy
More labour unrest in India as construction, education and mining workers step up fight for improved conditions.
A section of Mine-I employees of Neyveli Lignite Corporation staged a stay-in strike on Saturday demanding the continuation of pick-up service or a raise in conveyance allowance.
The NLC management suspended Arumugham, area vice-president of the Labour Progressive Front, and served a charge memo on Haridas, another functionary.
Bolivia: class struggle and social crisis
Pamphlet looking at the class struggle in Bolivia underlying the struggle between Evo Morales and the oligarchy.
The Commune's pamphlet on the class struggle and right-wing coup attempts in Bolivia includes the following articles and documents:
- Evo Morales, the Bolivian oligarchy and the workers' movement, by David Broder
- Central Obrera [union federation]: 'neither Evo nor the oligarchy'
Bolivian union disapproves of Morales' negotiations with fascists
The Central Obrera Boliviana sees no value in the current dialogue between the indigenous-peasant government and the separatist oligarchy. The president is urging the fascist governors to sign a grand national accord in the next four to five days. From the commune, translated from the Spanish from Econoticias Bolivia
La Paz, September 18th 2008 - The leadership of the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) has declared that it does not approve of the negotiations president Evo Morales today opened with the fascist governors and the oligarchy in search of a great national accord.
1987: The Great Workers' Struggle in South Korea
A short account of the South Korean strike wave of 1987 known as the Great Workers' Struggle. Affecting most major industries and involving over a million workers, the strikes and militant tactics used won significant gains in pay and conditions for many.
The workplace struggles that took place in 1987 occurred within the wider background of political reform. For thirty years South Korea had been ruled by a military dictatorship, and growing calls for democracy had echoed across the peninsula through the 1970s and early 80s.
Bolivian miners strike against Morales pension reform
The Bolivian government has lost over $1.5 million due to a strike at the country's largest tin mine, Huanuni, where workers are demanding a deeper pension reform.
Roberto Montano said the state-owned mine has been losing about $500,000 a day since workers went on strike, halting production, on Thursday afternoon. The official said the mine always closed on Sundays.
"They (the workers) are staging an indefinite general strike [...] they're waiting for negotiations between the Bolivian Workers Central and the government," Montano said.
Wildcat strike in South African mines
Workers at the Everest mine in South Africa have gone on wildcat strike about health and safety issues.
On 28 May, 42 load-haul-dumper operators stopped unprotected work at the Everest mine, and the rest of the underground workforce, numbering around 1,300 employees, stopped work in sympathy the following day.
