BILLITON’S Mozambique aluminium smelter, Mozal, says a strike called to protest pay discrepancies had come to a peaceful end and the impact on production was slight. A dayshift of 200 people downed tools in a wage protest, but after long meetings between government ministers, union leadership and management the strike was called off by the union. The wage dispute was sparked by workers’ unhappiness at the larger pay packets expatriate workers were taking home. The workers’ grievances were taken through a process of negotiation, mediation and arbitration. – Reuters