LIKELY, B.C. — As a strike at the Mount Polley Mine nears the one-month mark, the two sides are heading back to the bargaining table.
The United Steel Workers Local 1-2017 and Imperial Metals have been without a collective agreement since December.
The union has been on strike since May 23, following a lockout by the company.
The biggest issues of contention are temporary workers, severance, and seniority.
“There’s been a month of no wages and stuff,” said USW Local 1-2017 President Brain O’Rourle. “I’m sure the employers are feeling the pinch as well, and they said they were willing to get back to talks at the table, and hopefully get an agreement in place and our workers can get back to work.”
The company and the union have contacted a mediator, and talks have been scheduled for Thursday and Friday.
The union insists the negotiations are not about money, as it has agreed to accept no wage increases over two years.
The mine’s general manager, Dale Reimer, says he’s hopeful the remaining issues will be sorted out in the comin talks.
“We have agreed with the union on quite a few of the issues back and forth,” Reimer said. “There are about five or six outstanding issues that we have yet to come to an agreement with. We are hoping we can come to an agreement with them and get everybody back to work.”
Reimer says management staff has been keeping the mine operating as normal.
