Las Bambas workers fear layoffs

After the day before MMG Las Bambas announced that as of February 20 it could again paralyze its operations due to the blockade carried out by community members of Ccapacmarcathe workers’ union of the Chinese-owned company expressed its concern about the labor situation inside the mine.

Union leader Erick Ramos explained that, during the first work stoppage, the company decided to make the truncated and advanced vacations effective, so that possibility is exhausted today. As recalled, the mining company stopped its work from December 18 to December 31 of last year due to community blockades in Chumbivilcas.

“Practically, the staff does not have vacations. And now what is going to happen with this paralysis? What will happen to us?” she stated.

In this line, Ramos explained that the closure is more than safe due to the lack of supplies and, above all, the persistence of political disagreements. He said that operations at Challhuahuacho have been reduced by 50%, as well as the hauling equipment. The changing of worker guards is also interrupted. “In recent days, it has been the transfer of colleagues to replace those of the mining company down a fairly bumpy road,” he said. The route used was through Santo Tomás, the capital of Chumbivilcas, where passage was guaranteed with a police contingent.

Ramos said he was worried about a panorama of instability. “There is no one to turn to now. We requested a meeting with President Castillo last month, they never responded. It is very worrying because there are no inputs. Nothing enters. If there is no supply, there is nothing, it is logical that production will be paralyzed”, he revealed.

On your side, the community members of Ccapacmarca ratified the strike. “Those stoppage announcements are a strategy to pressure. We are going to continue with the blockade until the government and the mining company meet our demands,” said the former president of the Fight Committee, Luis Huamaní. More cautious was the president of the community of Ccapacmarca, Luis Taype, who said that they will analyze the statement in a community meeting.