Noranda refinery workers vote for strike

Union workers at Noranda’s Canadian Copper Refinery in Montreal have voted in favour of going on strike.

Representatives of the refinery’s 550 workers are in negotiations to work out a new labour deal. The previous contract ended May 30.

Talks are focused on the issues of work schedules and “bumping” rights, a clause that protects more senior staff in the event of layoffs.

The refinery supplies about 1.5% of the world’s copper. With world copper supply and demand forecast to be tightly balanced this year, and copper prices hovering near 8.5-year highs, metals markets are nervous of any output disruption.

Last year, the CCR produced 235,400 tonnes of cathodes, which was nearly half of Noranda’s output of refined copper. The facility refines anode copper from Noranda’s Horne smelter in Quebec and Altonorte smelter in Chile, as well as third-party sources.

Plant workers went on strike for two weeks in 1986.