* LME copper gains as much as 0.9 pct to $9,012 * Indonesia, Peru copper strikes on the cards * Coming up: Germany Industrial output; 1000 GMT By Michael Taylor JAKARTA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Copper prices gained almost 1 percent on Wednesday after falling for three consecutive days as a series of labour disputes at mines threatened production and helped offset jitters about the health of the global economy. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange climbed 0.8 percent to $9,005 a tonne by 0456 GMT, after falling in the previous session to close 0.3 percent lower. Analysts say labour disputes at copper mines in Indonesia and Peru were supporting the red metal, used in power and construction. "Up modestly," said David Thurtell, a Singapore-based metals analyst at Citigroup. "There are looming strikes at copper mines, but the macro side is likely to cap the complex for some time." Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold's Indonesia mine workers are set to strike from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 unless the firm meets their demands for a pay rise, a union official told Reuters on Tuesday. Workers at Peru's third biggest copper mine, Cerro Verde, are due to launch a 48-hour strike on Wednesday for higher pay. Chinese imports and inflationary data due on Friday could offer further market direction, Thurtell added. Analysts also say that options helped push copper over the dominant strike price of $9,000, as investors approach the month's options declaration deadline later in early London trading hours. The most-active November copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange SCFc3 traded 0.7 percent higher at 67,450 yuan per tonne, after trading little-changed in the previous session. Equity markets also provided some support, with the Nikkei average climbing 2 percent on bargain-hunting after European debt fears sent it tumbling a day earlier to a 2-1/2 year closing low. Despite signs that the economic recovery in the United States is faltering, a top Federal Reserve official who opposed the central bank's move last month to ease monetary policy signaled on Tuesday that he may balk again if fellow policy-makers opt for still more stimulus this month. President Barack Obama, facing waning confidence among Americans in his economic stewardship, plans to lay out a $300 billion job-creation package on Thursday, CNN reported, citing Democratic sources. "Copper does look up on the back of a bit of weakness in the dollar," Jonathan Barratt, managing director of Commodity Broking Services said. "Over the last couple of days we came under pressure based on economic concerns ... but the tightness is certainly still out there when you look down the curve." A weaker dollar makes commodities more attractive for holders of other currencies. Further clues about business conditions in the world's top economy may come from the release of the Federal Reserve's Beige Book due on Wednesday. nFXDIARY The anecdotal narrative of business and economic conditions across the United States is likely to describe an anemic U.S. labour market. Most other metals were trading slightly higher, with aluminium at $2,400 from $2,380 on Tuesday, battery-material lead at $2,419.75 versus $2,388 and nickel at $21,089 from $20,675. Global nickel demand is forecast to rise 4-5 percent a year, the chief executive at French mining group Eramet said. Tin traded nearly unchanged at $23,850 from $23,875, while zinc , used in galvanizing, was at $2,211.25 a tonne versus $2,190 at Tuesday's close. Base metals prices at 0523 GMT Metal Last Change Pct Move YTD pct chg LME Cu 8999.00 66.00 +0.74 -6.26 SHFE CU FUT NOV1 67450 450 +0.67 -6.12 LME Alum 2400.00 20.00 +0.84 -2.83 SHFE AL FUT NOV1 17400 105 +0.61 3.33 HG COPPER DEC1 408.25 2.65 +0.65 -8.04 LME Zinc 2207.00 17.00 +0.78 -10.07 SHFE ZN FUT NOV1 17035 180 +1.07 -12.53 LME Nickel 21050.00 375.00 +1.81 -14.95 LME Lead 2420.00 32.00 +1.34 -5.10 SHFE PB FUT SEP1 16400 150 +0.92 -10.63 LME Tin 23850.00 -25.00 -0.10 -11.34 LME/Shanghai arb -156 Shanghai and COMEX contracts show most active months ^ LME 3-m copper in yuan, including 17 pct VAT, minus SHFE third month

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