 Miners are vital to Peru's foreign earnings |
Thousands of miners are to return to work in Peru after five days on strike. Members of Peru's biggest mining union said they had received guarantees from the government over working conditions and contracts.
The union said 30,000 miners had joined the strike, 25% of the country' miners, but the government put the figure at only a few thousand.
Silver, copper, zinc and gold mined in Peru account for more than 50% of the country's export earnings.
Peru is the world's second-largest silver producer and third-largest producer of copper and zinc, but the unions complain that higher world prices for minerals have not trickled down to provide better pay for miners.
They also want President Alan Garcia to fulfil an election promise to protect jobs.
One-Minute World News 
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