SMM7, March 10: workers at two Chilean copper mines are voting on whether to accept a final wage agreement or a strike. The copper market, which has been plagued by the epidemic, is now at increased risk.

The results of the workers' vote at the Zaldivar copper mine, which is believed to be owned by Antofagasta, will be announced on Friday, and the voting results for the directors of the Centinela copper mine will be announced next Monday.

Guillermo Esquivel, head of the union Zaldivar1, said that none of the workers' needs had been met, so the vote meant that workers refused to quote wages and went on strike.

The Zaldivar1 union represents the 652 employees of the Zaldivar copper mine, which has a total of 900 employees.

Chilean labor disputes superimposed supply disturbances have provided the impetus for the rise in copper prices.

However, before the strike, Chilean labour law allowed the government to mediate.

Celso Pardo, chairman of the Centinela's governing union, expressed strong opposition to the wages offered by the miners, arguing that the miners' only interest is in producing at low cost, without taking into account the vital interests of the workers. The union in charge of Centinela represents 396 of the mine's 2000 workers.

The Centinela mine produces 276600 tons of copper in 2019 and the Zaldivar mine produces 58100 tons of copper in 2019.

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