3 October, 2013Miners held a two-day strike on 26/27 September in defence of their pension rights.
Unions in the Peruvian Miners’ Federation (Federación Minera de Perú, FNTMMSP), which is affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, went on strike for the first time since October 2009, in support of demands for the repeal of a government decree that will reduce payments from a supplementary pension scheme by extending benefits to sectors that have not contributed to the fund.
The FNTMMSP added that the decree made a further change by stipulating that workers will be paid annually rather than monthly.
The Peruvian government introduced the supplementary pension scheme in 2012. Mining companies contribute 0.5 per cent of their income and workers contribute 0.5% of their gross wages.
Unions at Southern Copper’s Toquepala mine and at mines owned by Buenaventura and Shougang participated in the strike.