SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chilean miner Codelco sweetened its contract offer to workers on Tuesday in a bid to defuse rising tensions after miners striking at its giant Chuquicamata copper mine were involved in clashes with police earlier in the day.
Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas early on Tuesday as workers at the mine tried to block access to the site operated by state-owned Codelco, the world’s largest copper miner.
Codelco said in a statement it had made a new “serious, responsible and realistic” offer to workers to try to end the strike, now in its fifth day. The offer included an important element related to improving workers’ retirements plans.
“This is the maximum effort Codelco can make,” the mining company said, citing the “current reality of the mining business” and a major restructuring Chuquicamata is currently undergoing.
Reuters had earlier reported, citing sources, that the miner had sweetened its offer. The improved offer comes after a group of workers at the mine from unions 1, 2 and 3, which represent 80% of its workforce, was repelled by police, while at least 12 people were arrested, one of the unions said.
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