Strike continues at Albemarle's Chilean lithium plant as company offer nixed

A workers' strike continued at Albemarle Corp.'s Salar de Atacama lithium production plant in Chile after union members rejected the company's latest labor contract offer, Reuters reported Sept. 13.

The strike began in August after Albemarle failed to come to an agreement with the 135-member Albemarle Salar union, which declined Albemarle's two previous proposals. The extended labor action has yet to impact Albemarle's lithium output, Reuters said.

The union described Albemarle's offer as "discriminatory," and it would only result in unequal salaries among workers. It also accused the company of violating union rights by replacing striking workers with miners brought in by helicopter.

Albemarle rejected the claims of unfairness and said the Salar union is asking for a higher bonus compared to the one offered to three other unions with which the miner reached a deal.

Albemarle recently outlined an expected increase in earnings for full-year 2022 thanks to higher prices and volumes for lithium amid high demand for the metal used in electric vehicle batteries.