By Fabian Cambero
Sept 25 (Reuters) - Unions at Chile's Escondida copper mine, the world's largest, pushed back on Friday after management sought to pause contract talks with unionized supervisors and staff following a fatal accident earlier this week.
The company, in an internal note seen by Reuters, said it had asked for a temporary suspension of negotiations after the worker's death. The unions rejected the request, meaning talks will continue on schedule.
"We condemn the company for using this tragedy
to seek a suspension of the ongoing collective bargaining process, especially when (unions) have repeatedly warned about poor safety conditions at the site," the supervisors' union said in a statement.
Operations at Escondida, in Chile's northern Atacama Desert, were halted after the accident, then gradually resumed on Thursday while the causes remained under investigation. In Chile, mines can normally restart after a fatal accident once safety inspectors confirm that conditions are safe.
Union 1, which represents rank-and-file workers, called it "unacceptable" that much of the mine's activity continued after the accident and said only part of the operation was halted after intervention by mining regulator Sernageomin.
It also rejected the company's attempt to pause the supervisors' contract talks.
"This request appears to be nothing more than a delaying tactic, which we categorically reject. A worker's death cannot be turned into a tool or an argument for other ends," Union 1 said.
Unionized supervisors are due to vote from September 28 to September 30 on the company's latest contract offer. Their union has urged members to reject it, a move that could open the door to a strike.
BHP operates Escondida. Rio Tinto holds a 30% stake, while Japan-based JECO owns 12.5%.
(Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Writing by Paolo Laudani; Editing by Kylie Madry)
