Southern Copper Corporation is again facing labour protests at its mines in Cuajone and Toquepala and the refinery in the Ilo Province. The company already settled a strike in April this year.

Workers at the mines owned by Grupo Mexico, have announced ‘an indefinite strike’ demanding a fairer share of company profits. The two unions, the Unified Union of Workers and the Toquepala Workers’ Union, are the two largest labour groups in the country, with nearly 3,000 members.

The strikers have been blocking the train track which moves concentrates to the refinery. Police dispersed protestors with tear gas and rubber bullets. Twenty four were arrested and three others injured, according to the head of the Unified Union of Workers.