CETIM’s statement on workers’ human rights violations by Glencore

The declaration presented by the CETIM in June 2018 to the 38th session of the UNHRC (June-July 2018) highlights violations committed by Glencore corporation, its subsidiaries and subcontractors in several countries.

Glencore PLC is one of the largest mining and commodities trading companies in the world. Headquartered in Switzerland, its shares are publicly traded on stock exchanges.

According to first-hand testimony from the unions in the mining sector, Glencore rarely ensures to its workers these fundamental rights, guaranteed by international human rights law.

IndustriALL Global Union attempted to engage Glencore in a meaningful global social dialogue about the company’s poor health and safety practices, workers abuse, unresolved labour disputes and anti-trade union practices. Glencore refused to cooperate.

The CETIM urges the host states of Glencore and its subsidiaries to honour their human rights and international labour standards commitments by taking concrete steps to ensure that this company respects, in particular, workers’ rights to safety, health, decent income and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

The CETIM also urges the Swiss authorities to comply with its obligation to ensure that transnational corporations based within its territory do not violate human rights, in particular while carrying on their activities in other countries and, should violations occur, to grant victims access to justice. We appeal in particular to the government of Switzerland to intervene in order to put an end to Glencore’s violations of the human rights of workers, and to ensure that victims obtain justice.

Listen and watch Adam Lee from IndustriALL at the parallel conference organized by CETIM and its partners

Read the written statement