Bolivia’s Federation of Mining Unions (FSTMB), which has some 15,000 members, has called for a general strike to protest lay-offs by private companies as mineral prices sag, union leader Guido Mitma told Reuters on Thursday. “The Mining Federation has called for a 24-hour strike on Friday, January 9, to protest that some private businessmen want to fire our colleagues,” Mitma said in a telephone interview. The Federation warned that protest marches planned in Potosi and Oruro could culminate in the occupation of the offices and facilities of the companies involved.
The main target of the protests is Glencore’s local subsidiary Sinchi Wayra, which issued warning notices to all its 2,200 mine workers in late December and is also proposing a 15% wage cut, enforced unpaid holidays and a move from three to two shift working at its five mines, according to La Razon newspaper. Government-mediated discussions on the situation were already planned for Monday 12 January.
Sinchi Wayra’s mining business is mainly in zinc, but one mine, Colquiri, produces some 2,500 tpy of tin-in-concentrate. Colquiri employs 450 miners and BN Americas reports that 70 have been issued with redundancy notices. Prior to the latest dispute, negotiations to form 50:50 joint ventures with state mining company Comibol to operate the Colquiri and Porco mines were reported to be close to successful conclusion.
