“You'll Be Fired if You Refuse” - Human Rights Watch

intimidate me. I was supposed to go to South Africa for a job training
course even, but they have said that I must step down from the union, or I
can’t go. They gave merit increases to everyone in my section except me,
telling me to step aside from the union. It goes on and on. 310
At Konkola Copper Mines, owned by an Indian mining conglomerate now headquartered in
London, a union official explained their efforts to target union representatives:
They’re reducing the employees at the open-pit by 20 percent, deploying
them to other departments. In doing this, they’ve targeted the shop
stewards to paralyze union leadership there. Every time we’ve voted a new
one, they’ve deployed him elsewhere. 311
Another union representative at KCM said that if a union leader is promoted, “it’s because
he’s listened to management and shut up. Those of us that speak out, we’re stuck.” 312
Finally, two union members from Mopani Copper Mines said that, during the 2009 global
economic crisis—when many Zambian copper mining operations laid off workers in response
to low world copper prices—union representatives were often the first to be “pruned” from
the company’s Nkana mine. 313 In a letter response to Human Rights Watch, Mopani’s chief
executive officer said that reports of prejudicial acts were “simply untrue. In fact, we enjoy
good relations with the unions at Mopani.” The response highlighted that Mopani was
perhaps the only copper mining company in Zambia “not to have had a general strike over
negotiations for many years.” 314 Mopani is primarily owned by the Switzerland-based
Glencore International, though First Quantum Minerals owns just under 17 percent as well.
310 Human Rights Watch interview with union representative A at FQM mining, Solwezi, November 13, 2010. Another union
representative said simply, “We don’t have freedom of speech. They, the managers, tell you to be quiet or you’ll be fired. As
union officials, we’re intimidated.” Human Rights Watch interview with union representative B at FQM mining, Solwezi,
November 13, 2010.
311 Human Rights Watch interview with union representative A at KCM mining, Chingola, November 14, 2010.
312 Human Rights Watch interview with union representative B at KCM mining, Chingola, November 14, 2010.
313 Human Rights Watch interviews with union representative at Mopani, Mufulira, November 16, 2010; and with union
member at MCM mining, Kitwe, November 17, 2010.
314 Letter from Danny Callow, chief executive officer of Mopani Copper Mines Plc, to Human Rights Watch, October 12, 2011.
“YOU’LL BE FIRED IF YOU REFUSE” 96