Chilean copper miners labor group alleges ‘alarming’ rise in coronavirus cases

Chilean copper miners’ unions called on Sunday for a re-evaluation of the operational continuity plans of the country’s biggest miners during what they said was an "alarming" increase in coronavirus cases among workers.

In a statement signed by the union leadership of State-owned Codelco, the Mines Federation – which groups the majority of workers for Chile’s major copper mines – rejected the "business as usual" discourse advanced by miners and the mines minister, Baldo Prokurica.

"The increase in cases is alarming and demonstrates that the preventive measures implemented with health and safety protocols aimed at self-care are not working and makes it evident that contrary to what the union believed, security and isolation measures have not immunized workers from contagion," the statement added.