Strike ends at Colombian coal giant Cerrejon

Reuters reports striking union workers at Colombia’s biggest coal producer accepted a three-year contract offer Thursday ending a month-long strike.

Workers chose a three-deal because the longer agreement gives them a bonus of about $7,000, a union official said. Additionally, labourers will receive a 5.1% salary increase in the first year followed by increases based on inflation for the remaining two years.

While the union didn’t achieve its original demand of a 7% salary increase, Sintracarbón said on its website there was significant progress in protecting members’ rights to health, housing, and education as well as decent work for temporary workers.

Union officials expect to sign the collective agreement on Friday.

Carbones del Cerrejon — a consortium of BHP Billiton, Xstrata and Anglo America — is the country’s biggest coal producer. It had to invoke its force majeure clause on some shipments as a result of the first work stoppage in 20 years.

The strike began on Feb. 7.

Related: Strike stops work at Colombia’s biggest coal producer

Image courtesy Cerrejon