Striking Workers Resume Blockade of Major Copper Mines in Chile

Striking contract workers employed by Finning resumed a blockade of the access road leading to the Escondida and Zaldivar copper mines on Saturday, January 25, 2026. This action follows a police operation late on Friday, January 24, 2026, which had temporarily cleared the protest site. The blockade is currently disrupting the transport of essential supplies and personnel between the mining operations and the northern city of Antofagasta in Chile CL.

The protest is being led by members of Union No. 2 at Finning, who have been on strike since the beginning of the month. Finning serves as a machinery contractor providing critical services to various mining companies throughout the region. Before Saturday's action, the union had launched intermittent blocks in the La Negra industrial sector and on the primary road connecting the operations to the regional hub.