Saudi ambassador to UK voted MENA diplomat of 2025    Saudi Awwal Bank signs SR2 billion credit facility with Saudi Binladin Group to propel development of King Fahd Sports City in Riyadh    Feast of Flavors and Prizes: LuLu Hypermarket kicks off the "World Food Festival" across Saudi Arabia    Pakistan closes airspace, suspends visaas in tit-for-tat measures against India    Saudia Group signs deal with Airbus for flyadeal's first wide-body aircraft    Saudi non-oil exports surge 14.3 percent to SR26.11bn in February    Saudi, Greek ministers co-chair inaugural meeting of Strategic Culture Committee    Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 26, Palestinian officials say    Trump's trade war olive branch met with derision and mistrust inside China    Ministry of Justice launches centralized court model to enhance judicial efficiency    Kyiv hit by deadly Russian missile and drone attack    Saudi Arabia elected chair of Asia region of World Meteorological Organization    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Super Max Verstappen scorches to pole with record lap in Jeddah    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Chile mine chaos deepens
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 01 - 08 - 2011

Workers at the world's No. 3 copper mine, Chile's Collahuasi, put down their tools over unmet labor demands on Saturday, compounding worker unrest as a strike at top global copper mine Escondida entered a ninth day.
Workers at Collahuasi voted to strike for 24 hours and will end the stoppage at 8:00 A.M. EST (11:00 GMT), union leader Cristian Arancibia told Reuters.
Other leaders said earlier the stoppage could be extended if the company did not address their demands.
Repeated labor action in top copper producer Chile has fueled supply worries and spurred global copper prices.
Escondida, majority owned by BHP Billiton, extracts 7 percent of the world's copper, while Collahuasi accounts for 3.3 percent. While markets fear a contagion, the strike at Collahuasi, owned jointly by Xstrata and Anglo American, appeared to be an isolated example — unions at other mines said they have no plans for immediate stoppages.
Collahuasi mine operator said it continued to operate with workers who did not join the action. Workers at the mine said many employees disagreed with the union call for labor action, signaling internal rifts. Still, union leaders said most workers are angry over the way their production bonuses are calculated and believe they should be larger.
“This is our first warning,” said Arancibia, who is also the head of a 11,000-strong federation of unions at private mines.
“Collahuasi and Escondida show that miners in Chile are ready to fight for their rights.”
Collahuasi and Escondida produce nearly a third of all the mined copper in Chile, or about 4,400 tonnes a day. Escondida workers on Friday rejected a new compensation offer from BHP, but acknowledged they were close to a deal and were deadlocked over a bonus demand.
Labor negotiations in Chile have turned more volatile in recent years as worker demands have increased with copper prices near record highs.
Collahuasi workers staged a 32-day strike six months ago over a new wage contract — the longest labor stoppage ever at a major private mine in Chile.
A series of labor protests, accidents and bad weather has curbed the mine's output.
Higher copper prices have emboldened workers from Indonesia to Zambia and Chile to demand a bigger slice of the record earnings of global giants like BHP, Freeport McMoran and Anglo American.


Clic here to read the story from its source.