CNV Internationaal asks Glencore to take responsibility in Peru

"We invite Glencore for an open and constructive dialogue, because we hear worrying stories from our union partners about outsourced workers in the Peruvian mines who work under dubious circumstances",  says Anneke Westerlaken, president of CNV Internationaal. Earlier this month CNV had sent a letter to the direction of the Swiss Glencore asking them to take responsibility for all workers in their supply chain.

Freedom of Association

It seems that freedom of association is not respected in some of the mines in Peru. Westerlaken: "Outsourced workers are often not allowed to be member of a union, but this is a basic labour right that should be respected by everyone in the supply chain." Furthermore there is a discrepancy between the workers with a permanent contract and flexworkers. Westerlaken: "Even though people in the mines do the same work, the people with temporary contracts earn less and often don’t get the same training that is needed to be able to work safely. Glencore has to take actions to avoid discrimination in their supply chain at all levels."

Energy transition

The metals extracted by the mines in Peru are used for production of electronic devices in the Netherlands and are crucial for the European energy transition.