CHILE: Unionized copper workers at Chile's state mining corporation, Codelco, begin 24 hour work stoppage to demand greater job security and safety improvements

Record ID: 341117

  • Title: CHILE: Unionized copper workers at Chile's state mining corporation, Codelco, begin 24 hour work stoppage to demand greater job security and safety improvements
  • Date: 9th April 2013
  • Summary: CHUQUICAMATA MINE, CALAMA, CHILE (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF COPPER PLATES TO BE EXPORTED ABROAD VARIOUS OF WORKERS AND COPPER PLATES
  • Embargoed: 24th April 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Chile
  • Country: Chile
  • Topics: Business,Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVARIG0HUERM4GQ8S4EVMRNH412
  • Story Text: Unionized workers at Chilean state mining company Codelco began a 24-hour work stoppage early Tuesday (April 9) at all units of the world's top copper miner to demand greater job security and safety improvements, labor leaders told Reuters.
    The gates to Codelco's Chuquicamata Mine, the world's biggest open pit copper mine, were locked and access roads deserted. But union demonstrators turned out en masse outside Codelco offices in Santiago, waving signs and blowing horns.
    Rainundo Espinoza, president of the Federation of Copper Workers, said that the strike brought all Codelco sectors to a standstill.

    "100 percent of Codelco is paralyzed. All the units have responded to the call from the Federation of Copper Workers, together with the FESUC (Federation of Copper Supervisors) and we hope that the company understands - that we are not here for sport, that this isn't a circus, and that the president of board understands this. And that the workers, we are here in the street and we are going to continue mobilizing if they don't listen to us," said Espinoza.
    Codelco, which owns about 11 percent of the world's copper reserves, is expected to produce 1.7 million tonnes of copper this year, or just under 5,000 tonnes per day.
    Thomas Keller, Codelco's president, said the company hoped to see a new record.

    "We are hoping to have a new record, including of course our participation in El Abra and in Anglo American Sur," said Keller.
    Codelco owns and operates Chuquicamata, which is located near the northern Chilean city of Calama.
    Keller said that instead of more strikes, he'd like to see workers participating in dialogues and projects aimed at tackling company challenges.

    "Our responsibility is to ensure the best possible relations with the union leaders. We have great challenges in the corporation, in which workers need to participate, because they are also involved, regarding structural mining projects that we are carrying out. As such I hope that more than having mobilizations for the rest of the year, we talk and outline how we are going to proceed to ensure success," said Keller.
    Chile sits on the world's largest copper reserves and is also the world's largest producer of the metal, but aged, tired deposits dragged Codelco's output last year to its lowest level since 2008, while costs soared 40 percent on the year.

    "We are talking about figures that may be of that magnitude, yes, it's a possibility, but we are going to evaluate that case by case. We are going to evaluate that according to what was stated previously, marketplace conditions and the best ways to take advantage of them for company interests," said Keller.
    Workers at private mines, including BHP Billiton, Anglo American and Antofagasta Minerals, only partially went along with the call for a national strike, even though the union representing them initially said it would join the labor action.
    Amid the strike woes, the world's biggest copper conference, CESCO, gets underway in Santiago this week.
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