Workers at BHP’s Escondida mine in Chile reject contract offer, union says

SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Workers at BHP’s Escondida, the world’s largest mine, rejected an offer for a new collective bargaining agreement, setting the stage for a potential strike, the union said on Thursday.

A total of 2,371 workers, or about 99.75% of union members, voted in favor of the strike.

Chilean legislation lets either party call for five days of government mediation, extendable by another five days if both parties agree, to avert a strike. BHP owns more than half of Escondida, along with Rio Tinto (NYSE:) and JECO Corp.