Outreach to coal truck drivers in southern Mongolia

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (ILO News) - From 7 to 12 October 2024, a team consisting of trade unionists, labour inspectors from the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Protection, and ILO staff organized awareness-raising sessions on labour rights and forced labour risks for coal truck drivers. The outreach took place at four locations in Umnugovi province, namely Tsogttsetsii, Khanbogd, Gashuunsukhait, and Tsagaan Khad.

Tavan Tolgoi, located in the southern Gobi Desert, is one of the world's largest untapped coking and thermal coal deposits, with an estimated total resource of 6.4 billion tonnes, one quarter of which consists of high-quality coking coal. It is about 253 km from Gashuun Sukhait, which is Mongolia’s border point with China.

Three national companies are exploring coal at Tavantolgoi, contracting companies and individual operators to transport their coal. Out of approximately 22,000 trucks registered for coal transport, around 10,000 are active. Daily, around 1,500 coal trucks transport coal across the border from Mongolia.

Drivers at the Tavantolgoi mining site report that their biggest challenges include poor road conditions, long working hours, dust, and long periods away from home, with some drivers not seeing their families for up to two years. The poor road conditions and dust contribute to accidents, such as trailer overturns, collisions, and tire damage. Although many drivers have employment contracts, they are often unaware of the details and do not possess copies. Employment and service contracts are both commonly used, with the latter not covering social insurance. Some truck owner-operators have taken out high-interest commercial loans (around 20-30%) to purchase their trucks and feel unable to leave their jobs due to an inability to sell the truck or repay the loan.

Accidents involving the green net covers on top of trailers, which are mostly handled manually, occur frequently and often go unreported. Such incidents are particularly common in winter when the driver’s heavy clothing restricts movement on top of the trailer, making the freight cover slippery and icy. Employers frequently fail to supply drivers with the required personal protective equipment. Many drivers subjected to excessive overtime work are not compensated appropriately.

Based on the findings from this joint mission and outreach exercise, the CMTU will organize a seminar with representatives from companies that employ these drivers. The seminar will focus on effectively addressing the identified violations at the company level, promoting accountability among employers, and fostering improvements. Additionally, the CMTU emphasizes the urgent need to resolve issues related to labour rights, occupational safety and health, as well as road and environmental concerns, by working with the relevant government authorities.