'You’ll Be Fired if You Refuse' – Labour Abuses in Zambia's Chinese State-owned Copper Mines (November 2011)

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Article by: Creamer Media Reporter

Published: 09 Nov 2011

'You’ll Be Fired if You Refuse' – Labour Abuses in Zambia's Chinese State-owned Copper Mines (November 2011)

This Human Rights Watch report details the persistent abuses in Chinese-run mines, including poor health and safety conditions, regular 12-hour and even 18-hour shifts involving arduous labor, and anti-union activities, all in violation of Zambia’s national laws or international labor standards. The four Chinese-run copper mining companies in Zambia are subsidiaries of China Non-Ferrous Metals Mining Corporation, a state-owned enterprise under the authority of China’s highest executive body. Copper mining is the lifeblood of the Zambian economy, contributing nearly 75% of the country’s exports and two-thirds of the central government revenue.