BHP reached a preliminary agreement with the supervisors’ union at its Escondida copper mine in Chile, averting a strike scheduled to begin on October 14. The deal followed last-minute, government-mediated negotiations over a new collective labor contract.
The union represents over 1,000 supervisors and staff. It will present the tentative agreement to members for a ratification vote. If approved, the deal will establish a new three-year contract and secure labor stability at the mine.
A walkout at Escondida, the world’s largest copper producer, would have tightened global supplies and put upward pressure on copper prices.