FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE MINES TO OUR RIGHTS OF TODAY

From the Mine’s Depths to Today’s Rights

At the beginning of the 20th century, working in a mine in Luxembourg was part of the daily life of thousands of men. It was demanding, deeply physical work that shaped an entire region.

Miners were paid by piecework: their wages depended on the weight of ore extracted. They also had to finance their own tools and explosives. To earn a sufficient income, workdays often exceeded 12 hours. Conditions were harsh, and the risks were ever-present: cave-ins, explosions, rockfalls, and accidents related to transport.

In 1907, a particularly tragic year, more than 45 miners lost their lives. Over the entire mining period, there were 1,477 deaths, an average of 13 per year, as well as approximately 70 reported injuries annually. At that time, there was no health insurance, no protection in case of accidents or old age.

Faced with these realities, the miners gradually began to organize.

First Steps Towards Organization

In the midst of the First World War, the first major trade unions emerged. Little by little, workers banded together to defend their interests and make their voices heard.

These advances were not solely the result of political decisions. They stemmed from a genuine power struggle, between worker mobilizations and negotiations with employers and the state. It is in this context that what is now known as the “Luxembourg model” gradually took shape, based on social dialogue and the search for compromise.

In 1918, a first legislative advance was achieved with the establishment of the eight-hour workday by Grand-Ducal decree. On paper, this was a major development. In reality, however, its implementation remained gradual in the mines.