Strike announced at the world’s largest copper mine in Chile — The Rio Times
Union of Supervisors and Staff No. 2 has announced a strike at the Escondida copper mine in northern Chile, which is described as the world’s largest. The action was due to begin with the first shift at 08:00 on October 14 after state mediation between the union and the mine’s operator, Australian group BHP, ended without an agreement. The Rio Times reports.
The union includes around 1,020 supervisors and employees. Its members backed the strike with approximately 95% of the vote in a ballot held from September 28 to 30.
Negotiations ended without an agreement
BHP requested mediation from Chile’s labor inspectorate on October 5, which led to the initial call for a strike being suspended. Negotiations lasted from October 6 to 13, and representatives of both sides signed a document confirming their conclusion without an agreement being reached.
The union said it had submitted a complete proposal that incorporated 90% of the company’s initiatives and its key demands. In the union’s view, responsibility for the strike lies with BHP and its negotiating team.
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BHP’s terms and workers’ demands
BHP’s final offer provided for 28 million Chilean pesos for each worker, or about $28,700. Of this amount, 25 million pesos consisted of bonuses, while another 3 million pesos was a preferential loan. The company described the offer as an increase in pay, bonuses and allowances.
The union is demanding higher wages, a monthly production bonus and, in its wording, an objective assessment of work performance. It also objects to the transfer of workers’ biometric data to third parties, restrictions on some benefits and the possibility of replacing workers during the strike.
Escondida produced about 1.3 million tonnes of copper in 2025, roughly a quarter of Chilean production. BHP has not publicly said how the strike could affect output or whether it has a plan for operating the mine during this period.
