Africa-Press – Mozambique. Over 700 employees went on strike on Monday to demand fair contracts and wages from the Chinese-owned company Dingsheng Minerals, in Chibuto district, in the southern Mozambican province of Gaza.
Dingsheng minerals mines the heavy mineral sands in Chibuto. The company has a factory, budgeted at 700 million US dollars, occupying an area of 3,000 hectares, consisting of two production lines with the capacity to process 10,000 tonnes of minerals a day (mostly titanium ores).
Heavy sands are deposits enriched with high-density minerals such as ilmenite, zircon, and rutile. These minerals are used in various industrial applications, such as the manufacture of ceramics, and pigments.
According to the striking employees, the company is not making any moves to increase their wages (even though the statutory minimum wage was increased last month).
“We have already met with the company management to find out what happened to prevent the adjustment of our wages. However, the company only replied that it could not increase the wages since the amount it pays is above what the government has decreed”, one worker, cited by the independent daily “O Pais”, said.
The striking workers also complain about a terrible working environment and negligence regarding safety. “We don’t have safety equipment, not even gloves”, another worker said.
The workers say they will resume activities only when the company responds to their demands.
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