Bloomberg reported that workers at Southern Copper Corp, the largest producer of the metal in Peru, plan their first strike in four years on December 24 after wage talks broke down.
Smelter union official Ricardo Juarez said that unions from the company's Cuajone and Toquepala copper mines and Ilo smelter presented the date at the Labor Ministry after the company refused to accept a request for a 15% annual pay rise. The company, which is seeking a four year accord, offered a 5.5% annual wage increase.
Mr Juarez said that "The company has dug in its feet and refuses to make a better offer. It's regrettable that Christmas will be soured for both workers and the company."
Workers in Peru, Bolivia and Chile have held work stoppages at copper, zinc, iron and gold mines this year to seek a bigger percentage of company earnings. Peru's Mining Federation plans a national strike in February. Southern Copper workers last held a strike in 2008.
