Workers Strike at Antamina Copper Mine
LIMA, Peru (AP) – Unionized workers have gone on strike at Peru’s top copper mine to protest a decline in income.
It is the first strike since operations began 13 years ago at the Antamina mine owned by an international consortium including BHP Billiton Ltd., Glencore Plc., Teck Resources Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corp.
Union Leaders Cite Significant Income Losses
Union leader Jorge Juarez says the 1,730 unionized workers who went on strike Monday account for more than half the mine’s employees. The workers say they’ve lost 40 percent of income as production dropped from last year.
Strike Impact on Mine Operations
Antamina says it is focused on maintaining output. But Juarez says the strike will affect the copper concentrate plant and the Pacific port where concentrate is loaded onto ships.
Peru’s Role in Global Copper Production
Peru is the world’s No. 3 copper producer after Chile and China.
