Workers at Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM) launched a strike on June 1, 2026, threatening output at one of the Democratic Republic of Congo's largest copper and cobalt operations. The walkout centres on a new collective bargaining agreement signed between management and union representatives that workers say fails to meet their demands on pay and working conditions.

According to Radio Okapi, workers have continued their action in Lualaba province, arguing that the agreement does not adequately address their concerns. They have also criticised the negotiation process as insufficiently inclusive.

In a memorandum addressed to TFM's chief executive on June 2, 2026, strikers accused the union delegation of finalising revisions to the collective agreement without prior consultation with the broader workforce.

Key demands include a higher base salary, full payment of overtime hours and improved working conditions. Workers are also calling for a housing allowance equal to 30% of net pay, a school allowance of $85 per child, better healthcare coverage and an end-of-negotiation bonus of $1,500.

The strike has already disrupted operations. Several industrial machines have been idled, according to Radio Okapi. Local sources also report blockades on certain access roads to the mine, aimed at preventing employees willing to return from reaching their posts.

Strategic site

The dispute carries implications beyond the immediate labour conflict. TFM, a subsidiary of Chinese group CMOC, is one of the country's most strategically significant mining assets. According to 2025 mining statistics from the Technical Coordination and Mining Planning Unit (CTCPM), the company produced 509,352 tonnes of copper and 32,551 tonnes of cobalt in 2025.

Those volumes represent approximately 14.6% of national copper output and close to one-third of Congo's cobalt production, although the national cobalt figures published by the CTCPM differ from the consolidated data reported by CMOC for its overall DRC operations. According to the Chinese group's data, its DRC operations produced approximately 741,100 tonnes of copper and 117,500 tonnes of cobalt in 2025, generating revenue of 61.3 billion yuan, or about $8.6 billion, up 21.15% year on year.

Any prolonged disruption at TFM could therefore have significant effects on the country's mining output and on CMOC's performance in the DRC. So far, TFM's management has not issued a detailed public statement on the workers' demands, the precise impact on production or the conditions for resuming talks.

The ongoing strike leaves the company facing a dual challenge: containing operational disruptions at a major copper-cobalt site while reopening labour negotiations after a section of its workforce rejected the collective agreement.

Ronsard Luabeya