Social dialogue

In order to achieve the ILO’s objective to ensure that all mineworkers have the opportunity for decent work in an industry that contributes to sustainable development, the active involvement of the social partners is crucial.

Sound industrial relations based on the constructive application of the rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining can make an important contribution to addressing OSH or employment challenges. Meaningful social dialogue between the social partners is necessary for companies to improve their productivity and for restructuring to be successful. Only through social dialogue can companies as well as the mining industry as a whole obtain lasting benefits.

Strong Employer and Worker organizations are important not only at national level: labour and social issues in mining cannot be separated from other considerations, whether they be economic, political, technical or environmental. While there can be no model approach to ensuring that the mining industry develops in a way that benefits all those involved, there is clearly a need that it should . The work that international Employer and Worker organizations have been conducting over the years in order to further a sustainable mining industry has greatly contributed to this vision and created a wealth of information and guidance.

Useful links/resources

• International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
• International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM)
  
• International Organization of Employers (IOE)
  
• International Council on Mining and Metals