Access road to Chile's Escondida, Zaldivar mines remains blocked amid contractor strike
SANTIAGO - Striking contract workers employed by machinery contractor Finning resumed on Saturday a blockade of the access road to Chile's Escondida and Zaldivar copper mines, according to industry sources.
Police had cleared the protest late on Friday, but a group of demonstrators returned to block the so‑called "mining route," delaying the transport of both supplies and personnel between the operations and the northern city of Antofagasta.
Members of Union No. 2 at Finning, which provides services to various mining companies, have been on strike since the beginning of the month and have launched intermittent blocks in the La Negra industrial sector and on the road leading to BHP's Escondida mine and Antofagasta Minerals' Zaldivar mine.
BHP said the day before that the protest was causing delays in shift changes as well as in vehicle traffic. The company did not immediately respond on Saturday to a request for comment.
