El Ciudadano
This week, the Spence Mining Workers’ Union, located in the Sierra Gorda commune of the Antofagasta Region, staged a work stoppage and peaceful demonstration due to the lack of effective responses from management to their requests.
According to reports from the Antofagasta Regionalist newspaper, the strike lasted for 12 hours as part of the mobilization process initiated by the union, which includes halting operations for two days over two consecutive weeks.
Gabriela Rivas, the communications officer for the Spence Workers’ Union, stated to the aforementioned media that «the problems have persisted for over a year and have been repeatedly presented to management, without receiving effective responses.»
«The issues raised focus on worker safety regarding serious incidents, work organization, production targets, and subcontracting,» added the union leader.
«The mobilization on Wednesday, July 8, was not spontaneous nor did it arise from a single issue. It was a democratic decision, informed and made collectively by workers who have awaited responses for over a year. When all four shifts gather, deliberate, and mobilize, the company cannot continue to treat the problem as if it were a collection of individual acts. This is a deep-seated conflict over labor management and safety that BHP has failed to resolve,» emphasized the union representative.
Workers warned that the conflict has escalated after the mining company attempted to portray the union’s collective actions «as an illegal activity that would have consequences for wages, career development, and future sustainability of operations, additionally imposing warning letters, which we consider a mistake.»
«As union leaders, we question the notion of opposing dialogue and mobilization as incompatible paths, as mobilization does not negate dialogue; it arises when prior discussions are insufficient, when questions remain unanswered, and management fails to address the core issues,» stressed the union spokesperson.
Safety Conditions
Gabriela Rivas also highlighted that «workers have raised concerns related to risk conditions, operational organization, and high-potential incidents, which has led us to criticize labor management that sets impossible targets, exacerbates the internal climate, manages labor relations through pressure, and does not respond timely to emerging signals from operations.»
Moreover, explained the union leader, this situation is compounded by a scheme of overlapping, fragmented responsibilities that «has been evidenced by a series of accidents that could have had fatal consequences.»
«For example, in February, a truck was nearly destroyed by a front loader operated by an external company within the mine. Additionally, last week, conveyor belt workers were almost crushed by hundreds of kilograms of material in the crushing area,» warned the union.
«It is unacceptable to blame workers for voicing concerns over situations that threaten their lives and integrity. If safety is truly a priority, the company’s responsibility is to resolve the issues, not to interpret workers’ concerns as infractions,» reiterated the union spokesperson.
«Workers are not against production; we are the ones who make it possible. What we reject is the attempt to sustain a strategic operation based on targets that do not align with the reality of the operation, on delayed responses and communications that aim to instill fear. Mining requires operational continuity, but that continuity cannot be built at the expense of safety, dignity, and the organization of its workforce,» concluded the Spence Union leadership.
We will continue to keep you informed.
La entrada Spence Miners Strike Over Safety Concerns and Labor Management Issues: «Problems Have Been Ongoing for Over a Year and Have Been Repeatedly Raised with Management» se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.
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