The Mining Federation of Chile (FMC) and the Federation of Copper Workers (FTC) made the announcement yesterday at a press conference in Santiago, overshadowing the CRU World Copper Conference.
 
The two confederations, representing 25,000 workers from state-owned Codelco and private sector mining companies, issued demands in a public declaration that also included calls to renationalise the country’s copper and lithium assets.
 
FMC president Raimundo Espinoza Concha said investors and international companies needed to understand Chilean workers’ needs.
 
“As we are part of this productive chain, the mobilisation and the changes are for the workers and not against the workers,” he said.
 
Espinoza Concha did not rule out the possibility of the strike continuing beyond today (Tuesday).
 
“This depends on Codelco, it depends on the government authorities, not us,” he said.
 
“If there is no response, obviously we will continue with our process over the issue of pensions.
 
“People are tired. They don’t want any more of the type of treatment they have.”
 
The first demand of the declaration was for dignified pensions, putting an end to the “failed pension fund administrators (AFP) system” that does not provide retirement payments of more than 40% of a worker’s last salary.
 
The document also said abuses and labour malpractices had to end through a new work code that ensured real respect and labour rights for workers, with the application of United Nations’ international labour organisation agreements.
 
The confederations also called for the existing “uncontrolled outsourcing policy” to end through effective supervision of subcontracting labour laws.
 
“We say no to externalisation and yes to internalisation in the productive and strategic areas of companies,” the document said, undersigned by Espinoza Concha and FMC president Gustavo Tapia Campos.
 
The strike follows on from protests in late March and early April at Codelco’s Radomiro Tomic copper mine over a worker’s death.
 
The final demand on the list was for the protection of worker health and putting an end to workplace accidents, with Espinoza Concha evoking memories of the internationally notorious 2010 Copiapo mining rescue.
 
But it is the confederations’ second demand of nationalisation that is perhaps the most concerning for international investors in the world’s leading copper-producing country.
 
“We demand a new national mining policy of renationalisation to recover copper and lithium for Chile, smelting and refining our natural resources for our own country,” the declaration said.
 
“All this is for the benefit of national development and financing the necessities of the great national majority.”
 
The confederations proposed the financing could go towards free and quality education, timely access to quality health in the public system and better pensions.
 
“These mobilisations have an objective of opening tables of dialogue that give a response and concrete solutions to these demands, put forth as bills when it is necessary, undertaking aggressive budgeting.”
 
Espinoza Concha said the government had shown willingness to undertake tax reform but had not been forthcoming to make changes to the work code or the AFP system.
 
“So it is the responsibility of the workers and the union groups to produce these changes,” he said.
 
“It is an issue that is not insignificant with respect to the presidential campaign.”
 
The copper production strike comes at a time of significant strain, with sectors including mining, agriculture and forestry having suffered from a 20-day national port strike that was recently resolved with the exception of one terminal in San Antonio.
 
Mining Minister Hernan de Solminihac said the sector was unable to send 9000 tonnes of copper per day during the strike.
 
He said 50% of the delayed shipments belonged to Codelco, while the rest were private companies including BHP Billiton, Anglo American and Barrick Gold.
 
*Matthew Ogg is a Santiago-based journalist.