Indonesian farmers on Wawonii Island are using machetes to protect their land against nickel miners, this article reports. The global demand for metals used in electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel has led to a rush by foreign and domestic enterprises to mine in Indonesia, the world’s largest nickel producer. The article discusses how land disputes have led to armed confrontations, riots and protests.
A lengthy investigation by Hungarian news outlet Telex has detailed how government officials in 2023 were presented with intelligence showing that Samsung SDI’s battery plant in Göd was exposing workers to carcinogenic chemicals at levels…
IndustriALL Global Union and Electronics Watch have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deepen their collaboration in protecting and promoting workers’ rights across global electronics and low-emission vehicle supply chains. The agreement brings…
A devastating tragedy has struck eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where more than 200 people are now confirmed dead after a landslide caused the collapse of the Rubaya coltan mine. The disaster, which unfolded…
New research on migrant labor in Taiwan highlights ongoing abuse in electronics, bicycle, and auto parts manufacturing, despite existing legal safeguards. The report calls on stakeholders to implement preventive measures to stop abuse of migrant…
Efforts to establish a global minerals agreement at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) met opposition, though talks will continue. The proposal aims to establish a panel of experts that will identify ways to prevent…
As states meet for the United Nations Environment Assembly, Colombia and several other countries have proposed a binding global treaty to address environmental and human rights risks in mineral extraction, including measures for due diligence…
An advocacy group in the U.S. is suing Apple, saying that the company profited from using conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. The case filed in Washington D.C., argues that…
China’s latest export restrictions on rare earths — with 17 metallic elements used as critical minerals in electronics, renewable energy, and defense industries — have sent shockwaves through global supply chains. As the world’s dominant…
The Turkish government has blocked a planned strike by mineworkers at the state-owned mining giant Eti Maden, invoking “national security” concerns just hours before industrial action was set to begin. The strike, organized by IndustriALL…
In the article published by the Reuters, Brazilian labor prosecutors have launched a high-profile lawsuit against Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD and several of its subcontractors, due to alleged “slavery-like conditions” and international human trafficking….