Codelco workers mobilise against privatisation and dismissals in Chile

CHILE: The Copper Workers Federation (FTC), which represents miners' unions at Codelco, held a 24-hour strike on Monday 11 July. The strike affected all divisions of the state-owned company.
In a press release, the FTC, which is affiliated to the IMF, set out the three reasons why it called the strike:       

• To reject the privatisation policies pursued by the company, which involve transferring ownership of the Gabriela Mistral mine and outsourcing development and restructuring projects;         
• To energetically repudiate the arrogant and overbearing attitude of the company, which has disregarded collective agreements and is posing major threats to job security;
• To protest at government under-investment, which involves overloading Codelco with debt and generating conditions favourable to the company's future privatisation.

The FTC also warned that any repression or dismissal of workers in response to this legitimate mobilization would be met by an indefinite strike.

One of the main reasons for the federation's action is the privatisation of mineral rights at the Gabriela Mistral mine, which is to become a limited company. "They have already changed the legal status of our mine, but they don't say so, we are actually now another company but they have said nothing. Neither are they admitting that losses from a 24-hour strike are nothing compared to the losses that will be caused if this state-owned company is sold and privatised", said Emilio Paez, president of the Gaby Miners' Union.

The IMF's Regional Office is closely following the struggle of the Chilean miners and has expressed its solidarity with whatever the FTC decides to do in pursuance of its demands.