Codelco workers blocked access to a copper mining project yesterday for three hours, delaying the start of a morning shift, newspaper El Mercurio reported, citing a union leader.

The workers closed down an international highway leading to Andina in the Valparaiso region between 4:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. local time yesterday, the Santiago-based newspaper said in its online edition Emol.com. The workers are demanding better pay terms, the newspaper said, quoting Guillermo Candia, president of the Gardilcic union.

Susana Mena, a spokeswoman for Codelco, didn’t immediately respond to telephone calls and an e-mail seeking comment.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nathan Gill in Quito at ngill4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Attwood at jattwood3@bloomberg.net