Held in Stockholm, this initiative highlights the vital role of social dialogue in improving health and safety (H&S) practices within Europe’s extractive industries, a sector crucial for supplying raw materials essential to the green transition.

The event gathered over 30 participants, including trade union representatives from countries such as Spain, Hungary, Poland, Belgium, Sweden, France, Germany and Bulgaria. Trade unions and employers’ representatives’ voices took centre stage in addressing H&S challenges, emphasising the need for social dialogue as a basis for worker-led solutions to ensure safer and more sustainable operations.

Health and safety remain a top priority for social partners in the sector, as the extractive industries must navigate risks associated with automation, mental health, and climate change. Participants underscored that robust H&S measures are not only vital to protect workers but also play a decisive role in securing the sector’s responsibility and social licence to operate.

Choosing Sweden as the host country underscored its exemplary social dialogue practices, which serve as a model for other nations. Sweden’s long-standing tradition of union-employer cooperation has made it a leader in implementing effective H&S strategies.

During the workshop, trade unions and employers’ representatives shared best practices and challenges from their regions, highlighting the need for specific social dialogue bodies composed of social partners and dedicated to H&S at company, regional, and national level. The importance of including the impact of the activities on neighbouring populations and local communities was also strongly addressed. 

Key topics of the discussions included the challenges of social dialogue when it comes to mental health and wellbeing in physically demanding roles; the impact of automation, digitalisation and artificial intelligence on H&S at the workplace; new risks in extractive industries linked to climate change and the role of social dialogue in their preventions.

A standout moment was the visit to the Zinkgruvan underground mine, where participants witnessed firsthand how collaborative social dialogue can lead to tangible improvements in H&S conditions. Social partners’ representatives praised the mine’s efforts to involve workers directly in shaping safety protocols, serving as an inspiration for future actions.

Judith Kirton-Darling, General Secretary of industriAll Europe, said: “Social dialogue is the cornerstone of ensuring health and safety in the extractive industries - a sector that is not only vital for the green transition, but also pivotal for Europe’s reindustrialisation. Workers must have a strong voice in shaping the solutions to the challenges we face, from climate change to automation. When trade unions and employers come together, we create safer, more sustainable workplaces and build a foundation for a fair and resilient future.”

With one more workshop to go, the SODISEES project reaffirms that social dialogue is the essential to improve sustainable and responsible practices across Europe’s extractive industries. Social partners from the sector remain steadfast in their mission to protect workers, promote sustainability, and build a stronger future for the sector.