The next few weeks promise to be busy on the labour relations front for Falconbridge (FAL.LV-T, FAL-N). The base metal miner needs to strike deals with unions at five of its operations in the coming weeks.
The company is poised to tick off one item on its to-do list, reaching a tentative deal with the United Steelworkers of America, Local 9449, which represents workers at the Raglan nickel-copper mine in Nunavik Territory in Quebec. The proposed deal will be put to an employee vote on May 26. Details of the agreement will be released on ratification.
Meanwhile in Chile, workers at the Lomas Bayas open-pit copper mine recently handed their union a strike mandate. Like at Raglan, the existing contract there expires at the end of April. At the Nikkelverk refinery in Norway, Falco has an additional month for negotiations, with that operation’s pact good through May.
Meanwhile, Falconbridge says labour negotiations at the Brunswick zinc-copper mine, smelter, and bulk-handling operations in New Brunswick continue with the aid of government-appointed conciliators. Three-year labour deals for the mine and smelter both expired on Feb. 28.
Talks are also ongoing at General Smelting in Quebec, where workers have been without a contract since Jan. 31.
Looking ahead, labour contracts at the Antamina open-pit copper-zinc mine in Peru, Norandal foil fabrication plants in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas, and Altonorte copper smelter in northern Chile expire on July 24, Nov. 20, and Dec. 12, respectively.
Falco employs 14,500 people at operations and offices in 18 countries.
Shares in Falconbridge ended 38 better at $44.50 in Toronto following news of the tentative deal on April. 28.
Be the first to comment on "Falconbridge pushes through labour pains"