Mining Sector Institutional Relationships

When evaluating conditions and developments in the mining sector, it is important to understand the main institutions and their interaction, as their agendas, policies and resources can significantly impact upon those involved in mining activities. The key institutions within the Altiplano mining sector are central and local government agencies, mining companies, mine worker co-operatives, NGOs and the mine worker unions. The following sections summarise the findings of interviews conducted with these organisations, while their interrelationship is described in the next chapter.

5.5.1. Government Departments

Although street riots prevented interviews with the Vice ministry of Mining and Metallurgy, COMIBOL, SERGEOTECMIN, and the national mine workers union FSTMB, an interview with the Viceministerio de Cooperativas suggested that the government still supports the day to day operations of artisanal mine worker co-operatives, and is beginning to recognise women’s needs in the sector. This was confirmed by similar comments made by the Assessora of the Women’s Mining Network, who said: “The Viceministry of Co-operatives is now developing policy for women mine workers.” (interview #24).

According to an interview with a recently retired senior administrator from the Alcaldia de Oruro (interview #17), local government departments in Oruro employed many ex-Palliris to assist with

government funded civic construction and maintenance projects funded by national government tax revenues for gas exports. However, this funding has declined in recent years and fewer women are now employed in civic works.

5.5.2. Artisanal Mine Worker Co-operatives

It was not possible to arrange interviews with organisations representing mine worker co-operatives either at regional (FEDECOMIN) or national (FENCOMIN) level. Despite assurances from officials that information was available and would be provided upon request, no information was received in response to formal requests sent by my thesis supervisor.

A senior academic from Oruro Technical University indicated that his research into artisanal mine workers and Palliris revealed challenges for those who want to join mine worker co-operatives: “It is hard for people to join co-operatives in Oruro as there are no spaces for new socios. New positions only become available if somebody leaves, retires or dies.” (interview #26). This was reinforced by an official from the Viceministro de Cooperativas who stated that: “The original socios are now near retirement, but younger members cannot join due to restricted workstations in the mine or surface activities.” (interview #15).

5.5.3. Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

Interviews with NGO representatives provided a good source of information about the work of artisanal mine worker co-operatives, the changing role of women mine workers, and the NGO projects that have taken place in recent years. Ingeniero Carlos Jungwirth provided information about the EMPLEOMIN project and confirmed that in his experience, women were becoming more influential in their mine worker co-operatives: “Women are the leaders of some mining co-operatives in Oruro.” (interview #25). Although it is clear that NGOs are providing a significant amount of support to the mining sector in general, and to women workers in particular, they are treated with suspicion by many in mining communities. Ironically, this was confirmed by the Assesora of the NGO Red Mujeres y Mineria: “Many NGO’s visit mine sites to photograph poor living and working conditions so they can get funding for their projects, but they don’t return and conditions don’t improve.” (interview #24).

5.5.4. Mine Worker Unions

It was not possible to arrange interviews with representatives of the FSTMB or COB during the fieldwork, principally due to heightened tensions between government and workers, and on-going protest action by state mine workers.

5.6. Women Mine Workers

Several interviewees commented on the pragmatism behind women’s involvement in the mining sector, with comments including: “…the main reason women enter the mines is the growing demand for mineral and their need for a greater and more secure income.” (interview #23), and “Palliri numbers are growing in some areas and declining in others, according to mineral availability in the waste rock and tailings piles.” (interview #22). This pragmatism is also reflected in the response of male mine workers, as: “Men acknowledge that women need to earn a living wage and accept that they can work just as hard as the

men, and accept them as colleagues.” (interview #22). This clearly indicates a substantive shift in

attitude amongst male mine workers over the past 25 years.

Despite the evidence of growing female influence in artisanal mining, those working in mine worker co- operatives operate in a doubly competitive environment. A university academic identified: “a healthy competitiveness between male and female mine workers and they can produce similar output” (interview #27), while the Assessora of the Red Mujeres y Mineria stated that: “There is competition between individual Palliris, and confrontation can occur if one Palliri works at the site allocated to another.” (interview #24). There were, however, differing opinions about the type of underground work roles performed by women involved mine workers. A representative from the NGO CEPA suggested that they perform all roles: “Initially, women underground workers did support tasks, but now do anything that men do, including drilling.” (interview #21). Although it does appear that women do seem to have access to most mining sector roles, the Director of CEPROMIN commented that: “....there are virtually no women engineers in the mines, and few women study engineering at university” (interview #20). Several interviewees considered that there was a growing involvement of women in underground mine work, and this was supported by media articles. However, it was not supported by field observations, and comments made by a senior environmental consultant who had visited most Altiplano mine sites since 1997 and 2002 commented that: “We did not see any Palliris during our work at mine sites across

the Altiplano” (interview #10). Unfortunately, official statistics were found to be ambiguous, with one

“…no government department has access to reliable statistics for the number of cooperativas, socios or socias.” (interview #15). A prominent NGO also concurred, adding that: “The lack of statistics about women in the mining sector meant that they are excluded from government policy and programmes.” (interview #24). However, despite the lack of reliable statistics, the Assessora of the Red Mujeres y Mineria was optimistic for the future of women in the mining sector, as: “The situation for women mine workers is improving in small steps, and their voice is now being heard.”, and “There is a growing

feminist movement in Bolivia, which is helping women mine workers to gain recognition.” (interview

#24). The absence of reliable data to quantify actual participation by artisanal mine workers (and women artisanal mine workers) means that any statements about the participation of women in the artisanal mining sector will inevitably be qualitative, and subject to personal experience, opinion and political agendas.