Reuters reported that a strike at US coal miner Drummond's operations in Colombia ended on Friday after a four-day work stoppage paralyzed production.

Mr Joaquin Romero union representative told Reuters that the Sintramienergetica labor union had demanded that privately held Drummond Co Inc improve workplace safety and increase benefits to the family of a worker recently killed on the job.

Mr Romero said that "The strike ended. The company did not concede any of our demands, but our members wanted to go back to work. The mine is operating."

Drummond issued a statement calling the strike illegal and thanking its employees for breaking ranks with union leaders and returning to work.

About 8,000 direct and indirect employees laid down their tools on Monday after worker Dagoberto Clavijo was killed when the truck he was driving fell into Drummond's Pribbenow open pit mine in Cesar province, northern Colombia.

(S0urced from Reuters)