A company spokesman says the union’s complaints are “totally without merit.” Both sides will meet with a representative from the Ontario Labour Relations Board on Jan 22.
The 1,260 maintenance and production workers at Falco’s Sudbury operations have been on strike since August 2000.
The company says its Sudbury operations are faced with declining reserves and high operating costs, whereas the union counters that Falco has posted record profits. The union also charges that the company is trying to “rewrite” the collective agreement and eliminate union staff.
For its part, Falconbridge is demanding three full years of labour peace and refuses to date a new agreement retroactive to Aug. 1.
Both sides were to have resumed talks on Jan 15. Ontario Labour Minister Chris Stockwell has proposed appointing a labour mediator to aid in a possible settlement, and although Falco has agreed, the union says that it was never contacted by Stockwell.
Both sides remain less than optimistic about this new round of talks.
“I am pleased that we are getting back to the table, but I’m not optimistic,” says Hemi Mitic, a spokesman for the CAW. “I don’t feel good about the whole process.”
Falconbridge spokesman Craig Crosby echoed Mitic’s statements.
The company continues to operate the Sudbury smelter at 60% capacity using management and support staff. At full capacity, the smelter produces 35,000 tonnes of nickel matte annually, or about 5% of the world’s nickel.
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