BHP Chile Escondida Copper Mine Seeks Early Labor Talks -Paper
October 06 2009 - 9:36AM
Dow Jones News
Management at the BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP)-controlled Escondida
copper mine in Chile aims to begin contract negotiations with
unionized workers ahead of the legally mandated schedule, La
Tercera newspaper reported Tuesday.
By starting talks early - the contract expires in December -
management is hoping to avert a strike like the month-long walkout
seen in the previous negotiations in 2006.
People in the mining sector told the newspaper talks hadn't
started yet but that Escondida sought to kick off talks with the
2,000-strong union.
Escondida's spokesman wasn't immediately available to confirm
the report.
BHP is currently in the middle of contract negotiations with the
union at its Spence copper mine, also located in Chile. The
contract expired on Sept. 30. The two sides are currently wrapping
up a five-day government-assisted mediation period and if an
agreement isn't reached, workers could go on strike Thursday.
Escondida, the world's largest copper mine, is controlled and
operated by BHP, which has a 57.5% stake. Anglo-Australian mining
company Rio Tinto PLC (RTP) holds 30%, with an additional 10% held
by a Japanese consortium led by Mitsubishi Corp. (8058.TO) and the
remaining 2.5% by International Finance Corp. (IFC.KW), the
private-sector unit of the World Bank.
-By Carolina Pica, Dow Jones Newswires; 56-2-820-4244;
carolina.pica@dowjones.com