By Dan Molinski
BOGOTA, Colombia--A three-month coal mine strike in Colombia by
400 employees of the local Prodeco unit of Glencore International
PLC (GLNCY, GLEN.LN) has officially come to an end, but work at the
La Jagua mine hasn't resumed, a union official said Thursday.
Sergio Becerra, a leader at the Funtraenergetica union, said by
telephone that the dispute over wages and working conditions that
led to the strike, which began in mid-July, remain far from
resolved. He said that without any resolution, the Labor Ministry
declared the strike over late Wednesday and said the issues will be
settled through binding arbitration.
Mr. Becerra said the company told most of the workers who had
been on strike to go home Thursday rather than return to their
posts, which he said raises fears among the rank-and-file employees
that they will be replaced in retribution for participating in the
strike. He said there was little activity at the mine Thursday.
Representatives weren't available at Glencore's offices in
Bogota, or at the coal mine itself in the northern state of Cesar.
Officials weren't available at the Labor Ministry.
Glencore's mines, including the main La Jagua mine, accounted
for about 15% of Colombia's total coal production last year of 87
million metric tons.
Colombia is among the world's top coal exporters, and production
is dominated by Glencore and other coal powerhouses such as BHP
Billiton Ltd. (BHP, BHP.AU) and Anglo American PLC (AAUKY, AAL.LN).
The South American country has seen a huge boom in coal and oil
production over the past five years.
-Write to Dan Molinski at dan.molinski@dowjones.com