LIMA—Union support weakened for Peru's nationwide mining strike Friday as workers at another big mine decided to return to work, and government officials said it would likely end soon.
Laborers went on strike on Monday to demand that Congress pass a bill to give them a bigger slice of corporate profits. Since the strike started, global copper prices have risen to record highs on worries it would crimp supplies from the world's No. 2 supplier.
Workers chose to end their strike at the copper-zinc mine Antamina, becoming the fifth mine or smelter to drop out of the walkout.
"Saturday we will return to work," said Francisco Marinas, head of the union at Antamina, which is owned by Xstrata and BHP Billiton , among others.
Despite the flagging support for the nationwide strike, now in its fifth day, the leader of the walkout said it would go on.
"The strike continues," Luis Castillo, leader of Peru's biggest federation of mining unions, told Reuters.
The walkout is the latest sign that President Alan Garcia faces growing calls to spread the wealth from a six-year economic boom to workers and the poor, or risk losing support for his free-market policies at a time when left-wing parties are eyeing elections in 2011.
Peru's Labor Ministry has said only about 10 percent of all mine workers in Peru had downed tools, and that production was affected by a smaller percentage.
On Thursday, unions at three mines and a smelter said they were returning to work or canceling plans to join the strike.
Laborers went back to work at the Ilo smelter of Southern Copper , Peru's biggest producer, though the strike continued at its Cuajone mine, where the company has said output has been mostly unaffected.
The strike was lifted at iron ore miner Shougang Hierro Peru, the company and the union said.
Workers at Freeport-McMoRan's Cerro Verde copper pit, Peru's third biggest, scrapped plans to join the national strike, but the union said it might hold its own walkout next week to force the company to give workers better benefits.
Laborers at Volcan's Andaychagua zinc mine called off their strike.
Mining unions have called on Congress to pass the bill, which would lift caps on profit-sharing. They also want a shorter work day and improved retirement rules.
Garcia's approval rating is hovering near 30 percent and his chief of staff has asked the permanent commission of Congress to vote soon on the bill, while most legislators are away on recess.
Even as the government has asked Congress to approve the bill, it has also declared the strike illegal, a ruling it normally makes during walkouts to persuade workers to return to work. The labor federation has said it will appeal the ruling.
Failure to pass the bill could lead to more labor strife, and Peru's largest labor confederation is planning a one-day general strike for July 9.
So far, the nationwide strike has hit some key mines but affected production at only a couple as some companies have called in temporary workers.
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