Bogota, 26 July (Argus) — Workers at Glencore's La Jagua coal mine in Colombia will end a 39-day strike and return to the mine, bringing it to full production by 31 July, a union spokesman told Argus today.

“We reached a positive agreement for workers. We are satisfied with the deal,” said Joaquin Vivas, president of mineworkers union Sintramienergetica. Workers are returning to the mine now while full activities at La Jagua will resume in the course of coming days.

Under the deal, La Jagua workers will receive a 5pc pay increase for 2010, negotiated from initial union demands for a 15pc wage hike and an early offer of a 3pc increase from Glencore's Prodeco unit, the mine's operator.

Workers agreed to a two-year contract with the company, shorter than the four-year deal Glencore's Prodeco had sought.

La Jagua's coal production was interrupted during the strike, which shut down 10,000-12,000 metric tonnes/d of coal from the mine. But shipping disruptions were more limited, with loading from another company mine, Consorcio Minero Unido (CMU), during the month-long strike.

Glencore expects to issue a press release later today, the company said in response to calls for comment.

The strike's impact on Atlantic basin coal trade was limited, with coal supplies ample and demand weak. European buyers were well covered during the strike and US consumers mainly absent from the markets throughout 2010.

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