Unions to strike at Chile's Chuquicamata after labour deal falls through

Unionised workers at Codelco's Chuquicamata copper mine, one of the world's largest, said late on Wednesday they would walk off the job beginning Friday after failing to reach a labor deal with Codelco, the world's top copper producer.

Chuiquicamata unions 1, 2, and 3 voted to reject Codelco´s latest proposal in an assembly Wednesday evening, saying the deal did not meet key demands, including an adequate health care plan, fair treatment of workers and retirement benefits.