A strike at Chile's Collahuasi mine, which is the world's third largest copper mine, shows no signs of ending after a week. Talks between the union and the mine stalled on Friday, with the union saying that the mine was only running at 20% of capacity, while the company says that output has not been affected. Experts say that output probably has been affected, though not as much as the union says, and that the company was smart to have stockpiled copper for the strike. The union says that the company is holding out without negotiating so that when workers are legally allowed to return to work, they will. The union offered around $27,000 in bonuses, an offer which a large majority of the union rejected. Workers will be allowed to return to work if they want late next week.
See "Chile copper mine playing for time in strike-union", Alonso Soto, Reuters, November 11, 2010