Union at BHP's Escondida mine says company made 'illegal' offer amid negotiations
SANTIAGO - The union representing workers at BHP's Escondida mine in Chile told its members on Monday that it would accuse the company of "anti-union practices" for making a contract offer outside of a government-mandated mediation process.
The company and the powerful workers' union have been in a five-day period of government mediation, due to expire at midnight on Monday, aimed at preventing a strike after workers overwhelmingly rejected a previous contract offer from BHP during a formal negotiation period.
In an internal memo to members seen by Reuters, the union said that BHP made an offer to union members on Monday afternoon "in an illegal manner" as negotiations were ongoing.
"The company has spread this offer to the workers without previously presenting it, as it should, to the Union Negotiating Commission," the memo said.
"The maneuver ... shows a clear bad faith on part of the company," the memo added.
The company's offer on Monday included a bonus equivalent to about $28,900 per union member, according to a source close to the negotiations, who declined to be named due to their private nature.
BHP did not respond to a request for comment.
Company and union representatives were due to meet at 6:30 p.m. local time (2230 GMT) on Monday in the northern Chilean city of Antofagasta.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
For over 30 years, Werner South Africa Pumps & Equipment (PTY) LTD has been designing, manufacturing, supplying and maintaining specialist...
VISIT SHOWROOM
For over 15 years, Lilak Aluminium, a trusted leader in architectural extrusion supply, has delivered excellence to businesses like yours.
VISIT SHOWROOM
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
