Minera Escondida and Supervisors and Staff Union No. 2 reached a tentative agreement this Wednesday on a new collective bargaining agreement. The deal temporarily suspended the strike that was due to begin today at the world's largest copper mine, located in the Antofagasta Region.
According to CNN Chile, the understanding followed talks that lasted through the night and into the morning. The Labor Directorate, the public agency that enforces labor regulations and mediates negotiations between companies and unions, took part in the talks.
The union explained in a statement that the tentative agreement "includes improvements in benefits and settlement terms" compared with the offer the company presented on October 12. Settlement terms are the payments and benefits provided when the contract is signed, something like a bonus for concluding negotiations. The amounts and details of the new proposal are not yet known.
The sources also do not report how many workers belong to the union, a key figure for gauging the scope of a potential work stoppage.
Escondida, controlled by Anglo-Australian BHP, confirmed that both sides' negotiating committees had reached a contract proposal. The company added that they mutually agreed to a one-day extension so members could vote and the document could be formalized.
Voting is taking place online this Wednesday, between 9:15 and 11:30. Beforehand, the union will present the offer at extraordinary meetings, according to a post by the organization on its X account, @SupervisoresMEL.
If members approve it, the new collective bargaining agreement will be signed at the Antofagasta Regional Labor Directorate. The union said it would disclose the agreement's content and main benefits in due course.
The tentative agreement came after mandatory mediation ended without a deal on Tuesday. That outcome led the union to announce a work stoppage starting this Wednesday. Points of contention included financial improvements and benefits that the organization considered necessary to conclude the process.
For now, the mining company said its operations are continuing normally. The sources provide no estimates of the effect a strike would have on copper production.
If the proposal does not secure workers' support, the strike will begin on Thursday, October 15, at 08:00, the company warned.