The main union at the Escondida mine, which produces the largest amount of copper in the world in northern Chile, announced that its members had agreed to a deal with the Anglo-Australian group BHP to avoid a strike.
The union, which brings together more than 2,000 workers, said its base had approved "
almost unanimously
" an agreement proposed by management for a new collective agreement, and canceled a strike notice it had filed on July 31.
Neither the company nor the union have released details of the deal, but local media report a productivity bonus of more than $ 23,000 and various benefits.
Minors demanded a one-off bonus in recognition of their work during the Covid-19 pandemic, "
equivalent to 1% of dividends received by shareholders
", as well as a career plan and educational benefits for their children .
Chile, the world's leading copper producer
According to the union, the Escondida mine expects to generate more than $ 10 billion in revenue this year, amid a historic rise in the price of copper, which has exceeded $ 10,000 per tonne on international markets.
In 2017, workers in Escondida staged a 44-day strike, the longest in Chilean mining history.
This social movement had resulted in $ 740 million in losses for the company and a contraction of about 1.3% of Chile's GDP.
Owned by the Anglo-Australians BHP (57.5%) and Rio Tinto (30%) as well as the Japanese Jeco (12.5%), this open-pit mine is located in the Atacama desert, in the north from Chile, at an altitude of over 3,000 meters.
About 1.1 million tonnes of copper are mined there per year.
Chile is the world's largest producer of copper, with 28% of world production.
This mineral, much of which is exported to China, the world's largest consumer, represents 10 to 15% of the South American country's GDP.