Unionized workers at the Highland Valley Copper Mine near Logan Lake will be voting on non-binding recommendations put forward by mediators this week in the hopes of avoiding a strike.
Workers remain on the job for now, but they have been in a legal strike position since 12:21 pm on Sunday, Jan. 16, after serving notice to mine owner Teck Resources last Tuesday, Jan. 11.
“The parties have been negotiating for over 42 days at the table and at this time have reached an impasse,” a statement from the United Steelworkers Local 7619 sent to NL News said. “The Company has not moved off their position and this [Bargaining] Committee has not backed down on ours.”
Mediators Vince Ready and Corinn Bell put forward the non-binding recommendations to both sides after scheduled talks this past weekend. The Steelworkers say all 1,048 of its members will get to have their say in a secret ballot at the Logan Lake Recreation Centre on Tuesday, Jan. 18, Wednesday, Jan. 19, and Friday, Jan. 21.
“A complete breakdown of all agreed upon language will be provided prior to the vote,” the statement said. “The strike notice is still in effect, and a rejection of the recommendations will enact the strike.”
Unvaccinated mine workers will be allowed to vote on any day of their choice, though they are being told to bring a mobile device with them as they will not be allowed inside the facility because of COVID-19 public health orders.
While all of the details of the mediators recommendations were not disclosed to NL News, wages are a key issue where the two sides have not reached an agreement on.
Sources tell NL News that Teck is proposing wage increases of two per cent per year for five years plus a $3,000 a year signing bonus which it says is “far superior” to its other mines in the province.
The union however is pushing for a three per cent wage increase a year, in addition to a signing bonus, citing Teck’s record profits and current prices of copper and other commodities produced at the mine.
While mine workers have been without a contract since the end of Sept. 2021, they’ve all been told to continue working as normal, pending the results of the vote.
“We have been working behind the scenes to put many people in place in key positions to endure a strike or lockout,” the Steelworkers added. “We have been working on a Q&A regarding strike and lockouts…to help answer some of the many questions that come with what happens next.”
Highland Valley Copper is the largest open-pit copper and molybdenum mine in Canada, and it has been operational since 1962.
Teck Resources is also hoping to expand the life of the mine to 2040, a 12-year extension to the current estimated closing date in 2028.
