On the Chilean copper mines «Minera Escondida Ltda» group of companies, where from late February to early March the workers held protests, initiated layoffs. In particular, on the same mines Corporation — Career «Escondida» and «Escondida Norte» (north of the country, the desert Desierto de Atacama, 170 kilometers south-east of the port city of Antofagasta) jobs lost about 600 employees. «This is about 10% of the total number of employees working in the organization on a contractual basis» — comment on the incident, local journalists.
The international media have previously reported that in the period from a group of workers from the mines «Escondida» February 28 to March 3 this year blocked the access roads and main entrance to the territory of copper deposits, demanding a size revision of wages and changes in the system of bonus incentives for staff. In connection with the riots, management «Minera Escondida Ltda» was forced to suspend construction work on the subject, carried out within the framework of the fifth phase of the program to expand the mines. In return to the actions of the strikers, the Chilean company's management last week announced the dismissal of hundreds of workers. And, as later reported by media representatives «Escondida» union, the reduced personnel compensation (referring to special reasons of termination of the contract), the company does not intend to produce.
«Minera Escondida Ltda» — one of the largest suppliers of copper concentrate in the world (the share of the Chilean corporate sector is about 6−8% of the total number entering the global market resources). Also, this company is the largest company in Chile to organizations with foreign investments (portfolio securities it owns four groups of foreign shareholders — Australian «BHP Billiton» (57,5%), the Australian-British «Rio Tinto» (30%), and the Japanese «JECO Corporation «and» JECO 2 Ltd. «(10% and 2.5%, respectively)). Among the organization's assets include two careers mentioned above («Escondida» and «Escondida Norte»), two Processing Plant («Los Colorados» and «Laguna Seca»), as well as a plant to produce copper cathodes. Last year, total production of copper in the «Escondida» enterprises amounted to 1.076 million. Tons.