More Than 1,000 Workers Strike at Major Peru Copper Mine Over Income

Over 1,000 miners in Peru went on strike at a majority US-owned copper mine calling for better working conditions and benefits, French media report.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – About 1,200 mine workers at the Cerro Verde mine in southwestern Peru protested on Friday, France 24 said.

Initially, the strike was planned to last five days, but the miners’ union decided to halt work indefinitely this week, calling for health benefits for workers and protection of income against a downturn in copper prices.

Cerro Verde is Peru’s largest copper mine; it has one of the biggest reserves in the world. The mine is 53.5%-owned by Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FMCG).