Chile’s powerful copper unions are headed into contract talks with a hand weakened by the coronavirus pandemic, giving an edge to miners like Codelco, Glencore and Antofagasta in negotiations that could influence wages and benefits for years.
Chile’s generally well-paid copper mine workers argue they should be adequately compensated for working in a riskier environment to keep pits open during the pandemic.
Their position has not found much support, even in a country that was already racked by protests over inequality before the coronavirus hit. Union leaders said it would be harder to achieve wage hikes, bonuses and benefit boosts now that the pandemic has swept through the global copper market and hit profits for miners in Chile, the world’s top producer.