Workers at Lundin's Candelaria mine accept new agreement

23rd November 2020 By: Reuters

SANTIAGO - One of the unions on strike at Chile's Candelaria copper mine accepted a 30-month collective agreement from Lundin Mining on Friday, the company and the union said.

The Candelaria AOS Union, representing about 550 workers at Lundin's Candelaria operations in Chile, accepted the last formal offer, presented by Candelaria on November 12, the company said.

It said it was assessing a resumption of partial operations at the mine, while the other union, Candelaria Mine Workers Union, representing about 350 workers, continues its strike.

The proposal includes increases in allocations and payments for closing the negotiations of 17.5-million pesos ($22 800), the company told Reuters.

Evelyn Walter, president of the union, told Reuters a promise by the company to review aspects not touched in the latest round of contract negotiations in the next round had been the "most important" part of the agreement.

"The pay deal was for $17.5-million gross, so taxes will have to be deducted from that, and there was also decent agreement on benefits," he said in a message.

The Candelaria copper mine, owned by the Canadian miner, announced plans to suspend operations at the mine on October 20, after the two unions called on their workers to begin strikes.