Workers at the world鈥檚 largest copper mine in Chile suspended a strike launched earlier this week and restarted negotiations with Australian mining giant BHP, the union and management announced Friday.
Patrico Tapia, president of the union at the Escondida mine in northern Chile, told AFP the return to talks was 鈥榗onfirmed.鈥�
The strike began Tuesday with workers鈥� demands including shorter work days, bigger bonuses and compensation for total years worked.
A key demand has also long been that one per cent of shareholder dividends for the Escondida mine, which produces 5.4 per cent of the world鈥檚 copper, be distributed among workers.
Chile is the world鈥檚 largest copper producer with annual production of more than five million metric tons, nearly a quarter of global output. Escondida, which is an open-air mine located in Antofagasta in the country鈥檚 north, produces close to 1.1 million tons of copper a year.
When workers at the mine went on a 44-day strike in 2017 鈥� the longest in Chile鈥檚 mining history 鈥� BHP lost $740 million, contributing to a 1.3 per cent decline in the country鈥檚 GDP.
