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New talks planned to end strike at Chilean copper mine: BHP
AFP
LONDON
Petroleumworld.com 08 09 06
Anglo-Australian resources group BHP Billiton was set to hold a further round of talks with union leaders Wednesday aimed at ending strike action at the world's biggest copper mine in Chile, a BHP spokeswoman said.
It comes after both parties failed to reach a deal over pay on Tuesday, the second day of the strike at the BHP-owned Escondida mine.
"No resolution was reached" Tuesday, said the spokeswoman, adding that both parties have agreed to meet again later Wednesday.
The walk-out by workers has slashed production by more than half and BHP has said that it is unable to honour deliveries from the site.
The strike began Monday, jeopardizing eight percent of global production and spurring prices to a three-week high.
More than 2,000 workers at the mine are demanding a 13-percent pay raise and a 30,000 US dollar bonus, which they say reflects a tripling in global copper prices since the previous collective bargaining agreement reached three years ago.
The workers turned down a last-minute company offer on Friday of a three percent pay raise and a 16,000 dollar bonus per miner.
BHP's spokeswoman insisted Wednesday that the group's proposal late last week was its "final offer".
AFP 09 0745 GMT 08 06
Copyright ©2006 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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