The International Federation of Journalists today joined a global labour movement protest over the Chilean government's failure to deliver on a promise to Chilean miners rescued in a high-profile mine rescue that inspired hundreds of millions around the world.

On October 18, 2010 was just days after the successful rescue of 33 miners from under the Atacama desert at the San José copper mine and in the full glare of global media, President Sebastián Piñera told the world that within 90 days his government would reform Chile's mine safety laws.

The President said Chile had learned its lesson and cumbersome mine safety and monitoring structures would be overhauled and the United Nations standards on safety in mines would be adopted.

Now union leaders in the International Chemical, Energy and Mining Federation (ICEM) and the International Metalworkers Federation (IMF) are furious that the President has reneged on the promise.

"After soaking up the publicity, the government is now backing away from its commitments," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "Journalists groups in Latin America and around the world are shocked by this cynical behaviour and we fully support the trade union demand that Chile cleans up its act and gets into line with international mining standards."

In an appeal for support the General Secretary of the ICEM, Manfred Warda, and the General Secretary of the IMF, Jyrki Raina, call for Chile to adopt the key UN regulation, Convention 176 from the International Labour Organisation.

"Convention 176 can and will provide the framework for revising the mine safety laws in Chile," they say in a letter to the global union movement for support in their campaign. "It is a universal fact that when the union voice is part of monitoring mine safety the risks in mining get reduced dramatically. This convention makes union involvement through safety committees an inherent part of the process." 

The IFJ is calling on its affiliates to send letters to the Chilean government calling on them to ratify ILO Convention 176 without further delay.

"Every year thousands of mineworkers die in avoidable accidents and it is very rarely that these tragedies get the publicity they need," said White. "The Chilean government needs to do its part in reducing the risks and protecting the workforce. It's time for action, not more publicity-seeking."