“Escondida unions denounce ‘layoffs’ amid copper boom,” November 3, 2025

Union No. 2 of Supervisors and Staff at Minera Escondida has spoken out to denounce the start of layoffs affecting its members—an action that, they claim, was carried out “without prior notice” and justified by BHP as part of an internal restructuring process...

In an official statement, the union described the decision as a “very poor practice” that does not align with the commitment and effort demonstrated by its members, nor with the company’s exceptional productive and economic results in recent years...

The union stressed that the layoffs lack justification under current market conditions: with favorable copper prices and historically high production levels, the mining company is allegedly “prioritizing narrow cost‑control interests.”...

Following the public criticism, Minera Escondida BHP confirmed the process, stating that “we have carried out a reorganization that involved a limited reduction in positions at Escondida.” The company concluded by emphasizing that the process “was conducted in full compliance with our values and current regulations.”