China Mining's foreign labour relations: Coming soon to a South American country near you

It seems Chinese mining executives take a different attitude towards workforce protests than, say, Codelco or Southern Copper or ANY FREAKIN CIVILIZED HUMAN BEING in fact. I mean, why talk to the proles when you can shoot them? This story from The Times of Zambia today (for the record, approximate forex in the note is, K4,500,000 = U$9600 , K3,500,000 = U$7500, K2,000,000 = U$4300).

MANAGEMENT of Collum Coal Mine and all the 13 workers who were shot at have agreed that the two Chinese senior officers who fired at them should not be prosecuted.

And the mine management has agreed to compensate victims of the shooting between K20 and K45 million and has also increased the minimum basic monthly salary for its workers from the statutory required K286,000 to K450,000 following the Government’s directive to management to improve the working conditions at the mine.

According to the compensation agreement obtained by the Times of Zambia, management of Collum Coal Mine and the victims of the shooting had a meeting on November 10 which was also attended by the labour commissioner where the two parties settled the matter by agreeing compensation and that the two directors who opened fire should be exempted from prosecution.

“All the 13 injured agreed that Xiao Lishan and Wu Jinhua be exempt from prosecution.
“After verification, there are 13 people who were injured. Among these, one person was severely injured and he will be paid K45 million including five years school fees anywhere within Maamba area.

“Those who are partially injured are six and these will be given K35 million each while the other six who are not severely injured will be paid K20 million each. When Collum Coal mines industries Limited pays the compensation, the officers from Ministry of Labour and Social Security and relevant witnesses should be in attendance,” reads part of the agreement.

The move was part of the process aimed at improving the working conditions at the mine where 13 workers were recently injured when they were shot at during a protest to press management for improved conditions. CONTINUES HERE

How, therefore, do you get round the subtle problem of attempted murder charges in Banana Republics? Easy, just pay 'em all off and the charges get dropped. So on second thoughts China's mining companies look like they'll fit quite nicely into the LatAm way of thinking. DYODD, dude.

Brazil upholds the traditions of capitalism, despite Lula's best efforts

mmmmmmmmm!!! Yummy!!! Slavery!! Profit margins!! This from Bloomie today:

Jan. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Cosan SA Industria & Comercio, the world’s biggest sugarcane processor, fell the most in eight months on concern that its inclusion on a list of companies whose workers operate in slave-like conditions will drive away clients and cut off access to funding.

Barra Bonita, Brazil-based Cosan was added to the list on Dec. 31, according to the Brazilian Labor Ministry’s Web site. Petroleo Brasileiro SA’s fuel distribution unit is considering “restrictions” against Cosan, according to a spokesman at BR Distribuidora who couldn’t be named because of company policy.

...........

The so-called “black list,” created in 2004, is updated every six months, according to the Labor Ministry. The Ministry found and “liberated” 42 Cosan workers in conditions analogous to slavery, according to the list. CONTINUES HERE

UPDATE: Another topical slavery story from the other side of the planet, kindly sent in by reader BM. Thanks man....LatAm bore that I am wouldn't have seen it otherwise.

"......how does an economically troubled country build the world's tallest building in the middle of a desert? Unfortunately, all signs point to slave labor. Saying Dubai has a problem with slavery and labor exploitation is like saying Tiger Woods has a problem with fidelity (and incidentally, he also has a problem with some labor concerns around his Dubai golf course). Dubai regularly imports poor migrant workers from continues here