Workers are demanding an increase that’s just one quarter the pay raise given BHP staff

Subcontracted workers at the Escondida copper mine in Chile's Region II on Monday threatened strike action unless mine owner BHP Billiton increases wages.

“We understand that some kind of strike action could start on Tuesday,” a union leader for the subcontractors said. “The idea is to stop work at the plant for one day and see how that impacts the company.”

Subcontracted miners at the Escondida plant, the world’s biggest copper mine, say that BHP has so far ignored their pay demands. In October this year the firm awarded its directly employed miners a bonus of US$25,000 and a 5 percent pay raise (ST. Oct 14), but subcontracted workers weren’t included in the agreement.

The subcontractors are seeking a pay hike worth 25 percent of the October agreement for each worker. Subcontracted miners are employees from outside firms hired by BHP because they cost less than BHP employees.

The Escondida mine is the worlds biggest copper mine which last year produced 23 percent of Chiles total national output. Photo rights to Nasa

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