By Diana Delgado

October 23, 2020 - Colombian coal mining firm Cerrejon and its main union Sintracarbon have begun direct negotiations to end a strike that has lasted for 52 days so far.

The strike has prevented around 56,000 t/d of coal, or 2.9mn t, from being exported.

The meeting on October 22 was to be divided into two subcommittees — one held in person and the other virtually — to maintain social distancing to minimize the risk of spreading Covid-19.

Sintracarbon is striking in protest at Cerrejon's proposed changes to working shift patterns, which will entail job losses.

Cerrejon said in an October 18 meeting that it aims to support the wellbeing of its workers, their families and the community, while "ensuring the sustainability and competitiveness" of the company during a challenging period exacerbated by low prices and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sintracarbon understands the challenges Cerrejon faces, but is unwilling to countenance a reduction in worker benefits "while the administrators of the company keep their privileges intact," one union source said.

Sintracarbon also say there is no deadline for signing a new labor convention with the firm, as this will depend on the resolution of the dispute over working shifts, which the union says will threaten worker health and safety.

But if the two parties do not reach an agreement over the next nine days, when the strike duration will reach two months, the labour ministry could use arbitration to settle the dispute. Colombian law allows the government to intervene if Cerrejon's entire workforce — including non-unionised employees — vote in favour of lifting the strike.

But Sintracarbon downplayed the potential intervention of the arbitration court, claiming the strike would not automatically end on the 60th day. "The strike only ends when the two parties who started it — the union and its affiliates — convene so," one source said.