After enduring difficult conditions with low pay, the gold-silver miners in Colombia secured their first-ever contract in August 2024, which included an annual wage increase of 3.5% and up to 180 days of sick-leave coverage. Solidarity Center, a leading U.S.-based independent nonprofit that works internationally with unions and worker associations to advance democracy, workers’ rights, economic security, and job safety and health, facilitated the negotiations between Zijin Mining’s Colombian subsidiary, Continental Gold, and the trade union representing the miners, the Buriticá branch of Sintramienergética (the National Union of Workers in the Mining, Extractive, Petrochemical, Agrofuel and Energy Industries).
Over the course of 15 years, the miners had won several arbitration awards, but the turning point came when Continental Gold struck an agreement with the trade union, with the support of the Solidarity Center, to improve employee welfare. The Buriticá branch of the trade union has over 450 members; nationwide, the union has approximately 4,000 members. It is one of the most influential unions in Colombia’s mining and energy sector.
As part of the settlement, the union, in addition to its wage increase and sick-leave coverage, also secured the establishment of a Labor Dialogue Committee to oversee the agreement and ensure its implementation and enforcement. This monitoring body is a critical component of the deal, said Daniel Esneider Valencia Duque, Secretary of Collective Affairs and Labor Disputes.
When the contract agreement was announced, the president of the Buriticá branch of the trade union, Sergio Alexander Moreno, said, “I am proud to advocate for workers’ rights and benefits at the Zijin Continental Gold Company. That’s what we seek: to protect workers and ensure they and their families have a better quality of life.”
The Colombian Ministry of Labor has praised the signing of this agreement on its official social media account, describing it “as a model for regional employment and economic development.”
How the Agreement Unfolded
With support from the Solidarity Center, workers secured the August agreement through direct negotiations that included representatives from the company, government, employers, and workers. They were able to come together to discuss economic and social issues affecting all parties. The Solidarity Center worked alongside union leaders to review previous arbitration agreements and provided strategic communication support throughout the bargaining process.
“They helped us draft our fair list of demands when we reached the collective bargaining stage,” said Cristian Rizo, union general secretary. “The Solidarity Center has greatly supported us in our growth.”
About the Solidarity Center
The 501(c)(3) organization has programs in 70 countries and partners with over 900 organizations and grassroots groups to equip workers with the tools they need to come together to form unions, negotiate, and build a better future. Strengthening skills, training, and collaboration among miners is a key part of the Solidarity Center’s regional work in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. These efforts help miners build safer workplaces, improve working conditions, and ensure that they have the knowledge and support needed to protect themselves in challenging environments.
