UPDATE: Chile Collahuasi Talks Continue As Strike Enters Day 26
November 30 2010 - 1:07PM
Dow Jones News
Negotiations between management at Chilean copper mine Dona Ines
de Collahuasi and the striking union continued Tuesday, as the
strike at the mine entered its 26th day.
On Monday, following mediation from a Catholic Church official,
both sides met for the first time since the strike began on Nov. 5
and agreed to resume contract negotiations.
Union leaders and mine management met for several hours Tuesday
morning and are scheduled to resume talks in the afternoon,
Collahuasi spokeswoman Bernardita Fernandez said. She declined to
comment on how the negotiations were progressing.
Several union leaders didn't respond to calls for comment.
Despite the strike, Collahuasi has been shipping copper out and
meeting its contract obligations as a result of a contingency plan
put in place before the strike began.
Earlier this month, the company sweetened its contract and
benefits offer to entice workers to break away from the strike.
Over 220 workers have since returned to work, according to
Fernandez.
"We are in the process of normalizing production," she said.
In addition, the company hired at least 100 replacement workers
during the strike, a company executive recently said.
The striking union groups 1,551 Collahuasi workers, or 90% of
the mine's union eligible workforce.
Collahuasi is owned by diversified mining companies Xstrata PLC
(XTA.LN) and Anglo American PLC (AAUKY, AAL.LN). Each ones hold a
44% stake in the mine. A consortium led by Mitsui & Co. (MITSY,
8031.TO) holds the remaining 12%.
It is one of the world's largest copper mines and is located 185
kilometers southeast of the port of Iquique, high in the Andes
mountains at 4,400 meters above sea level. Collahuasi produces
about 500,000 metric tons of copper a year, or about 10% of Chile's
annual output.
Chile is the world's leading copper producer, accounting for
about 35% of global output.
-By Carolina Pica, Dow Jones Newswires; 56-2-715-8919;
carolina.pica@dowjones.com
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