Xstrata, union schedule labor talks for weekend
17/01/07
TORONTO (Reuters) - Xstrata and the union representing workers at its big nickel operations in Sudbury, Ontario, are planning to meet on Wednesday and to extend labor negotiations into the weekend as they face the expiration of their current labor contract at the end of the month.
Talks have stalled on contract-language issues, according to the Canadian Auto Workers union, which represents the Sudbury workers. The last meeting between the two sides was on Friday.
Rick Grylls, spokesman for the CAW, called the process slow and tedious and said "hopefully we will talk to the company today."
Late on Tuesday, union members voted in favor of giving the CAW a mandate to strike should it reject a new labor contract offer from the company.
The current contract, which expires January 31, covers more than 1,000 employees who work in Xstrata's mills, mines and smelters in Sudbury.
Swiss-based Xstrata recently took over Canadian-based Falconbridge, which owned the Sudbury nickel operations among other base-metal assets.
Falconbridge and allied company Noranda had a history of difficult contract negotiations in Sudbury. The last three contract talks have resulted in strikes and disruptions to output.
Grylls said "the old boss is the new boss" and that Xstrata is using a strategy similar to that used by Falconbridge and Noranda.
"Our bargaining team is working hard and constructively in order to achieve an agreement," said Xstrata Nickel spokesman Ian Hamilton.
In 2005, the company produced 19,708 metric tons of nickel at its Sudbury operations.
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