Globalization and Mining Labour: Wages, Skills and Mobility.

In mining, the world is truly shrinking. Mining companies are scouring the world in the search for new deposits. This greater mobility means greater investment in Africa, Asia and Latin America, integrating what were isolated production sites into global value-added and commodity chains. Since this greater integration is one of the most profound aspects of globalization, it is interesting to know if there are growing similarities in the ways companies organize production and treat workers and communities from one continent to another. This paper examines growing similarities in mining practices in Canada, Zimbabwe and South Africa brought about by the introduction of new technology, multi-skilling and team work and the impact on wages, skills and worker mobility. This paper is based on in-depth studies of the organization of production in mining in Zimbabwe and Canada, made up of qualitative interviews with workers in each industry, as well as company management, union representatives and government officials, undertaken over a number of years. The more recent South African study uses extensive primary documentary sources and statistics as well as interviews with government and union officials. It concludes that there is increased similarity in mining practices resulting from globalization and while they have not resulted in a descent to the lowest common denominator, neither have they resulted in bringing workers up to the highest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]