National Federation of Mining general secretary Luis Castillo told Reuters that workers want the government to implement a law passed by Congress that would create a special retirement fund for miners funded by monthly payrolls and corporate profits.
"It’s been nine months that the government hasn’t implemented the mining retirement law," Castillo added.
The strike is also aimed at putting pressure on the government to start operations at the shuttered La Oroya metallurgical complex.
Doe Run Peru closed the complex in 2009 after the company went into debt and could not arrange funding for the facility, which was used to produce copper, lead and zinc.
Doe Run’s plan in April to restructure La Oroya was rejected by the creditors which the company said would have allowed it to restart operations at the complex.
Castillo said the federation, which represents about 75,000 miners in Peru, is still determining the number of workers who will join the strike and which mines could be affected.
The federation has carried out several strikes in recent years to support mine workers demands. The strikes have affected production at the biggest mines in Peru.
Previous calls for a nationwide strike by the federation, most recently in July, failed due to discord between member unions.
Peru is a major producer of gold, zinc and tin, and world’s second-largest producer of copper and silver.
