Antofagasta's Centinela strike ends after deal with unions
SANTIAGO: Workers from two unions at Chile’s Centinela copper mine have ratified an agreement reached with Antofagasta Minerals on a new collective bargaining contract, ending a strike of more than a week, the unions and the company said on Sunday. More than 700 members of the Distrito Centinela and Minera Esperanza unions began the strike on October 7 after contract talks broke down. They had…
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SANTIAGO — Workers representing two unions at Chile’s Centinela copper mine have agreed to a new collective bargaining contract with Antofagasta Minerals, putting an end to a strike that lasted over a week, according to both the unions and the company. Over 700 members from the Distrito Centinela and Minera Esperanza unions initiated the strike on October 7 after contract negotiations stalled. Their demands focused on ensuring equal benefits for all workers, regardless of their union affiliation.
Talks resumed on Tuesday, aiming to resolve the impasse. The unions announced in a joint statement that "the collective bargaining process was successfully concluded, with 94.49% of participating workers voting to approve the proposed agreement." The company confirmed the deal in a subsequent statement.
During the strike, three workers participated in a hunger strike to apply pressure on both parties to reach a resolution. Antofagasta reported on Wednesday that it managed to maintain normal production levels, preventing any negative impact from the strike at the mine, which in 2025 produced 240,400 metric tons of copper. The strike, along with the unrealized risk of a supervisors’ strike at BHP’s Escondida mine, had been contributing to global copper prices amid concerns about the industry’s capacity to supply sufficient copper to meet anticipated future demand.
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