mining
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in manufacturing, research and development, mining and materials around the world.
The Ecological Challenge: Three Revolutions are Necessary
With a planetary ecological crisis on hand, it can no longer be denied that socialism will be incompatible with mass production and mass consumption. Indeed, even without returning to Malthusian catastrophe theories, we are forced to admit that the planet’s resources are not inexhaustible. These resources could provide for humanity’s needs, but only if they are used in a reasonable and rational way, i.e., in a manner directly opposed to capitalist logic, which in itself is a source of imbalance.
The Ecological Challenge: Three Revolutions are Necessary
by Alternative Libertaire
Damaging uranium mines restart
The new nuclear boom will hit Africa as advocacy groups warn poorly regulated mining of radioactive materials risks poisoning land and water, finds Rob Ray.
With 349 new nuclear reactors now either under construction, on order or in the early planning stages around the world, the uranium mining industry has been kicking into high gear with a glut of new extractions underway.
Russian Bauxite miners occupy mine shaft
After over a week of occupation of a mine shaft, the Russian miners returned to the surface, with the promise of compromise on key wage demands and the restoration of social programmes.
The occupation began on March 26th, with the workers producing a list of 11 demands including a 50% wage increase, and the restoration of previously suspended parts of the workers welfare packages.
Thousands on strike in Colombia
3,500 workers are on strike in protest at temporary employment contracts in the world's most dangerous nation to be a trade unionist.
Members of the Sintracerromatoso union at the nickel mine operated by Cerro Matoso, a subsidiary of the multinational company, BHP Billiton, have begun a strike after negotiations failed to produce an agreement with the company.
500 Zambian miners fired after violence during strike
The workers walked out on Monday in protest at low pay and dangerous working conditions in the chinese-owned Chambishi mine.
Violence broke out on Tuesday amid reports that the chinese management were planning to leave on holiday rather than negotiate with striking workers. Reports conflict but it appears that workers threw stones and then burned a kitchen and a guard's post on the site, with management taking refuge until the arrival of riot police. One manager and two workers were reported injured.
Mexico: A Victory for Miners in Cananea
A victory for striking miners in Cananea as a judicial panel ruled their six month strike legal. This reversed an earlier ruling in January which had led to brutal attacks by the police.
On February 14 the Mexican Consejo de la Judicatura Federal reversed an earlier ruling, declaring that the six-plus month strike of unionized workers in Cananea, Sonora may continue.
The panel had previously ruled on January 11, 2008 that the strike was illegal, due to a technicality. This ruling lead to a brutal attack by Mexican federal police later that same day.
Mexico: miners strikes in Sonora and Guerrero
A long-running miners' strike in Cananea, Sonora continues despite strikers being repressed by police and military and a judge declaring it illegal. In Taxco, Guerrero however, the bosses respond to striking miners by closing down the site permanently.
The 1100 workers in Cananea have been out since 31 July, demanding improved hygiene and security, and show no signs of abating, despite the picket line being attacked by a combined force of 800 police (including the hated Policía federativa preventativa [PFP] who crushed the Oaxaca revolt in 2006) and milita
Poland: Three labour conflicts highlight the state's animosity towards Workers
Currently there are many labour conflicts in Poland, including various forms of strikes and protest. Almost 20 years after Poland's transition to a market economy, labour unrest is still strongest in the budget sector and in state-owned companies.
THE STRIKE IN BUDRYK: Miners get the shaft as elite get wealthy
The mining industry in Poland is still a quite healthy business. Fuel prices are rising as is the global demand for coal. Budryk is one of the mines in Poland that was making a very healthy profit – until a labour dispute began costing the mine losses of about 1 million US dollars per day.
South Africa: Miners hold one-day strike
The National Union of Mineworkers called out its 270,000 members on Tuesday in protest at the poor level of safety in South African mines.
The NUM launched the one-day strike to put pressure on mining companies, who they say aren't doing enough to guarantee the safety of miners. The strike, which also included a massive demonstration of 40,000 miners in Johannesburg, brought production to a complete halt, with no gold being extracted at all on Tuesday.
Peru: National mining strike to start on Monday
Peru's biggest federation of mining unions said workers will go on strike nationwide starting on Monday despite efforts by the government to avert the walkout, officials said on Sunday.
It would be the second nationwide strike this year in Peru, the world's third-largest producer of copper and zinc, and fifth-largest producer of gold. A strike in May, which was halted after five days, pushed up global metals prices.
"Mine workers will go on strike tomorrow (Monday)," said Julio Ortiz, a director of the federation.
