BHPB Chile copper workers to vote on strike next week

Production and Markets

Publishing Date: 24 Sep 2009 11:47am GMT
Author: Mining Journal

BHP Billiton workers at the Spence copper mine in Chile will vote whether to go on strike next week after rejecting the company's latest pay offer, a union official said.

Melbourne-based BHPB made a final offer for a pay increase similar to the raise workers received in 2006, Andres Ramirez, president of the union representing the miners, said today in a telephone interview from Antofagasta, Chile. He declined to provide more details on the offer.

BHPB made an inflation-linked offer to comply with Chilean law and will continue to negotiate a deal that "meets the expectations of the workers, the labor market and the sustainability of our operation in the long-term," Santiago- based spokesman Mauro Valdes said in an email.

BHPB, the world's biggest mining company, earlier this month rejected a proposal by the workers at the mine in Chile's northern Atacama Desert for 1.2% of the operation's earnings to be shared as bonuses, Mr Ramirez said. Mr Valdes declined to comment on the proposal.

Workers may start a strike on October 3 for an indefinite period if they fail to get more of a pay increase, Mr Ramirez said yesterday. The strike would be delayed until October 8 if BHPB requests an extension to talks stipulated by Chilean law, he said.