Northgate Minerals Corp (NXG)

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Don't know if anyone posted this but these guys could be on strike for awhile if they turned down 13% plus they want 30,000 bonus.

Escondida miners reject BHP Billiton pay offer
Workers at the world's largest copper mine in Chile have rejected an offer from owner BHP Billiton and have said they anticipate a walk-out that could last a month.

The workers late Monday (local time) refused to vote on a proposal from the Anglo-Australian resources giant put forward on Friday, leaving the mine's production at less than half of normal.

In a meeting of nearly 2,000 workers, the miners decided the 3 per cent wage hike plus $US16,000 per-worker bonus the company offered was not enough, union spokesman Pedro Marin said.

They are seeking a 13 per cent pay increase and a $US30,000 payment per miner, he said.

The strike began Monday (local time), jeopardising 8 per cent of global copper production and spurring prices to a three-week high.

The mine's main customers are Japan, Germany, Canada, China, Sweden, Brazil, South Korea and France.

Miners say their demands reflect a tripling in global copper prices since the previous collective bargaining agreement reached three years ago.

Escondida produces on average 125,000 tonnes of copper per year, nearly 20 per cent of total production in Chile, the world's largest copper producer.