UPDATE 2-Colombian coal exports slowed by railway strike

(Adds comment on exports)

BOGOTA, April 3 (Reuters) - Thousands of tonnes of coal from Colombian mines owned by companies Drummond and Glencore was stopped from getting to port by a railway strike, a union leader said on Friday, slowing exports from the country.

Some 600 employees of the Fenoco transportation firm have called a strike to demand recognition of their labor union. The protest has stopped 130,000 tonnes of coal per day from being transported to Caribbean ports from northern Colombian mines, union chief Felix Herrera told Reuters.

"When Fenoco comes around to recognizing the union and is willing to sit down and negotiate with us, we will lift the strike," Herrera said. "Coal is not leaving any of the mines owned by Drummond or Glencore."

Swiss-based commodities firm Glencore and U.S.-based Drummond are two of Colombia's biggest coal producers.

"Glencore's exports have been slowed by the strike, but they are continuing," said a representative of the port in the city of Santa Marta where Glencore ships its coal. "The company is increasing its use of trucks to get coal from the mines to the port."

Direct representatives Glencore could not be reached.

"Coal transportation operations, by train, are paralyzed due to the strike," a spokesperson for privately held Drummond told Reuters. The company had no comment on the effect that the strike was having on its exports.

Glencore is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. Drummond is a family-run business based in Birmingham, Alabama, headed by Garry Neil Drummond. (Reporting by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Christian Wiessner)