Contract workers for Codelco (Corporación Nacional del Cobre, Chile's state-owned copper company) protested on Monday morning at the Ministro Hales mine, north of Calama, in the Antofagasta region. According to BioBioChile, the protesters burned tires at the mine's entrance gate.
The protest has halted traffic to the mine, the outlet reported. The workers placed tires at the gate known as Punto Cero, which is the entrance to the site.
According to BioBioChile, the protest stems from discontent over bonuses that have not been returned. The contractors also have other demands linked to negotiations on the Acuerdo Marco.
The Acuerdo Marco (framework agreement) is the instrument that governs working and health conditions, as well as benefits, for Codelco's subcontracted workers. These workers are not directly employed by the state company but by firms that provide services to it.
Ministro Hales is located on the outskirts of Calama, the largest mining city in the Antofagasta region. Several Codelco divisions operate there, and the company is one of the Chilean state's main sources of revenue.
So far, the source has not reported how many workers are taking part or what effect the blockade is having on production. It also does not include a response from Codelco or the contracting companies, and no other media outlet has confirmed the information.
BioBioChile said it is still gathering details, so this information may change as the day goes on.
