Kazajstán - Copper company dismisses 15 labour activists

On 1 July 2015 Kaz Minerals PLC sacked Yerlan Tabynova and 14 of his colleagues from the Kazakhmys copper smelting and processing plant. They had been among the most active in voicing their anger at their appalling working conditions, including steadily falling wages and unsafe working conditions. Few workers at the plant reach retirement age, with two deaths a month and many workers suffering respiratory and coronary diseases. Kaz Minerals has consistently refused to listen to its workers’ complaints and clamped down on any attempt by them to represent their views in an organised way or fight for their trade union rights. If workers dare speak openly about their grievances, they are promptly sacked without due process.