US Hecla Mining Co executive gets windscreen smashed in violent labor dispute

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Wednesday, June 18, 2003 By: David Coleman

News reports from El Callao in southeastern Venezuela say that violence broke out with protest demonstrations against US Idaho-based Hecla Mining Co, at their La Camorra gold mine in Sifontes municipality ... a police report claims that mine manager Mark Hout's vehicle was damaged by at least seven Hecla workers and the windscreen smashed before security personnel arrived on the scene to restore order and clear the way over a key bridge across the Rio Yuruari.

The dispute arose after the seven were fired recently ... their employment status is currently being reviewed by a parliamentary committee and an administrative arbitration procedure is underway pending a ruling from the Labor Ministry in Caracas on the legality of Hecla's allegedly unilateral reduction in payroll.

Hecla employs some 450 workers, technical staff and administrators at the La Camorra mine close to El Dorado where it has recently been involved in community welfare and training programs as well as water supply improvements, education and health services close to the Chile mine in El Callao.

Hecla managers claim that "vandals" have attempted to damage buses and executive transport as a means of focusing attention on the protest.  The company says the workers should channel their complaints through proper legal employment procedures since "aggression against the integrity of both personnel and property is not the most sensible approach to their problem ... they should try to bring some rationality to this labor dispute instead."