No breakthrough in talks at Antofagasta's striking Centinela copper mine, unions say (updated)
UPDATE 1-No breakthrough in talks at Antofagasta's striking Centinela copper mine, unions say Adds company statement
SANTIAGO, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Negotiations between Antofagasta Minerals and two striking unions at Chile's Centinela copper mine showed no progress on Thursday, while three workers marked their seventh day on a hunger strike.
The Distrito Centinela and Minera Esperanza unions, which together represent more than 700 workers, began the walkout on October 7 after contract talks collapsed. The sides returned to the negotiating table on Tuesday in an effort to resolve the dispute.
"So far, after three days of voluntary mediation, the company has refused to address a mechanism to end discrimination during the term of the collective agreement," the unions said in a statement.
The unions added that the company was continuing to present a financial offer already rejected by workers, while ignoring what they called the core issue: alleged violations of workers' fundamental rights to equal treatment and non-discrimination.
The unions say the dispute centers on alleged disparities in pay and benefits for workers performing similar roles at the mine.
Antofagasta said on Wednesday that it had so far managed to keep production running as planned. On Thursday, the company reported a 7% rise in third-quarter output and maintained its full-year production forecast of 625,000 to 655,000 metric tons of copper.
In a statement on Thursday, the firm reaffirmed its willingness to seek an agreement, and said dialogue this week has opened up the possibility to reach a deal.
The company said it opposed the use of a hunger strike that could put workers' health and lives at risk.
The strike at Centinela — along with the ultimately averted risk of a supervisors' stoppage at Escondida — has helped support global copper prices, amid concerns of difficulties to expand supply enough to meet expected future demand.
(Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Daina Beth Solomon)
((fabian.cambero@tr.com; +569 62479675, twitter: @fab_reuters))