Unions at Antofagasta's Centinela copper mine ready for strike

SANTIAGO, Sept 29 (Reuters) - The two main unions at Antofagasta Minerals' Centinela copper mine in Chile said on Tuesday they are ready to strike, but hope one can be averted if the company agrees to a deal during mandatory government-mediated talks.

The unions, Minera Esperanza and Distrito Centinela, with 708 members combined, rejected the company's contract offer, triggering a five-day government mediation process that can be extended by mutual agreement.

• Union leaders say they want workers to receive the same benefits regardless of union affiliation.

• Minera Esperanza union president Milenko Diaz told Reuters that workers are willing to reach an agreement but said the company has not put forward a proposal to resolve the conflict.

• Diaz estimated that if no agreement is reached, a strike could be legally authorized to begin October 13.

• Distrito Centinela union leader Hector Aguilera said members are ready to strike, underscoring that workers are "convinced that now is the moment" to end the disparity in benefits.

• The risk of a strike at Centinela, which produced 240,400 metric tons of copper in 2025, is supporting global prices for the red metal as output has been constrained by operational problems, lower ore grades and adverse weather.