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    July 11, 2011

Chile Strike Halts World's Largest Copper Producer

   VOA News
   Chilean workers of the copper refinery of Codelco Ventanas take part in
   a protest against the government in Ventanas city, about 164 km (101
   miles) northwest of Santiago. Union workers at all of Codelco's copper
   mines in Chile have voted to ratify a compa
   Photo: Reuters
   Chilean workers of the copper refinery of Codelco Ventanas take part in
   a protest against the government in Ventanas city, about 164 km
   northwest of Santiago

   Unionized workers at Chile's Codelco, the world's largest copper
   producer, have begun a 24-hour strike in a dispute with the government
   over the future of the company.
   The workers walked off the job Monday over modernization plans that
   union officials say will lead to huge job losses and possible
   privatization of some of the company's plants. Codelco officials say
   the plants will not be privatized.
   This work stoppage is Codelco's first in nearly 20 years. Codelco says
   the strike would halt production of about 4,900 tons of copper and
   generate losses of more than $40 million. Codelco produces 9 percent of
   the world's copper, or about 1.7 million tons per year.
   The strike coincides with the 40th anniversary of Chile's
   nationalization of the mining industry, a move by then-President
   Salvador Allende. The nationalization of the mines led to the creation
   of Codelco.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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