Unionised mining workers in Peru have started an indefinite strike to demand the withdrawal of a law they claim could restrict labour rights and damage job security.

The strike started at various mines in the world’s third-biggest copper, silver and tin producing country, demanding cancellation of a law passed in 2014 that promotes the use of contractors and hurts their earnings.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

National mining workers federation president Ricardo Juarez said that the law eases rules for mining companies to sack workers.

"The miners are tired of abuse. We want better conditions."

The national mine workers union comprises 20,000 workers, while most miners in the country do not belong to a union.

The indefinite strike, which was approved by the union in April, also aims to stop the law that reduces benefits and workplace inspections as considered by the mining unions.

Juarez told the news agency: "The miners are tired of abuse. We want better conditions."

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

The strike threat is expected to have an on impact production of mining companies operating in the country.

However, according to reports the copper production at leading mines owned by Antamina, Southern Copper, Cerro Verde and Antapaccay was unaffected.

In a bid to secure foreign mining investment, Peru offers various incentives such as weakened environmental enforcement.

Mining Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Mining Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact

Excellence in Action
Awarded the 2025 Mining Technology Excellence Innovation Award for Equipment Diagnostics, Razor Labs’ DataMind AI™ platform turns sensor data and imagery into actionable maintenance insights, avoiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in downtime. Find out how leading mines are using DataMind AI™ to keep critical assets running.

Discover the Impact