Glencore accused of ‘slavery’ like conditions by DRC union

The Zug-based commodity giant was reproached for treating its mine workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) badly by the Swiss-based union industriALL to whom the local miners’ union were affiliated. Glencore rejects the accusations.  A few days ago, representatives of industriALL met with around 80 workers at the Kolwezi cobalt mines operated by Glencore in DRC. They complained of conditions that amounted to "no less than slavery” insudtriALL said in a press statement on Thursday. The workers mentioned regular threats of dismissal, poor health and safety practices, occupational diseases, racism and other forms of discrimination, low pay and lower wages compared to foreign workers.  In addition to employees, relatives suffer from illnesses because workers do not have the infrastructure to clean themselves at the Kolwezi mine. They only have access to drinking water in insufficient quantities. The hospital set up by the company was deemed to be too far away from the ...