Workers at Peru’s Antamina copper and zinc mine are back on the job, ending a strike that began last week at one of Latin America’s biggest mines, reported company officials.
Antamina is 33.75% controlled by BHP Billiton and Glencore Xstrata, with Teck and Mitsubishi Corp. owning the rest.
Based on demands for better conditions and pay amid a slow market and weak production, this was the second walkout so far in Q4 2014. Both strikes were declared illegal by government authorities; the union represents 1,630 of the mine’s 2,860 workers.
Antamina insisted the stoppage had not impacted production; the union claimed 60% of operations were affected. Company officials reported output of 273,411 metric tons (mt) of copper between Q1 and Q3 2014, down 16% year-on-year; labor representatives were unavailable for immediate comment, according to Reuters.
