Mozambique: Union seeks role in mine sale talks

MOZAMBIQUE’S central workers’ union is calling for a law change that would see it represented in talks on the future of the country’s biggest resources projects as the nation develops coal and natural gas reserves. The campaign was prompted by the sale of Rio Tinto’s coal assets in Tete province to International Coal Ventures, a group of Indian state-run metal and mining firms, in a deal that has led to concerns existing workers’ contracts would not be honoured after the transaction was completed, the Organização dos Trabalhadores de Moçambique said in a full-page newspaper advertisement last week. The government should bring Rio Tinto, International Coal Ventures and workers at the coal project together for talks to address concerns that jobs were at risk, the advert in Notícias newspaper said. – Bloomberg