Labrador nickel mine strike talks to resume
Union and Vale face an industrial inquiry if talks fail
Talks are set to resume this morning to end a more than 14-month-long strike at the Voisey's Bay nickel mine in Labrador.
Representatives of the Brazilian mining giant, Vale, and the United Steelworkers Union are meeting with the threat of an Industrial inquiry hanging over their heads.
On Tuesday Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams made good on a threat he made earlier in October and announced he has appointed people to lead an inquiry.
He said they'll begin their work Friday if the company and striking workers aren't making significant progress by then. One of the commission members is labour lawyer Randy Earle. In an interview about the strike last week – before his appointment – he told CBC News that no one wins if an inquiry is called.
"Both parties will be the losers, the best collective agreement is the one the parties make for themselves," said Earle last week.
Government announced that lawyer John Roil, who has handled numerous government inquiries and investigations over the years, will chair the commission. Roil is joined by Randy Earle and Brian Gatien, a lawyer who has worked in both Sudbury, Ont., and St. John's, and who has significant experience with labour issues.
Off the job since August 2009
About 200 workers at the Voisey's Bay mine have been off the job since August 2009 in a dispute that originally was focused on wages and benefits.
Numerous attempts to resolve the strike have failed, including recent ones that involved a conciliator brought in by the provincial government. Despite the strike, Vale has managed to keep the mine in production with replacement workers.
Premier Danny Williams set the deadline of this Friday almost two weeks ago, saying that an industrial inquiry would be called if a deal could not be achieved.
The inquiry would not be able to compel a settlement to the strike, but Williams has acknowledged that its investigations could prove embarrassing to both sides. The inquiry would have two months to produce a report.