Details of Hudbay’s final offer to its largest union emerged late last week as another union announced it had reached a tentative deal with the company.
Today marks the third and final day that the approximately 650 members of USW Local 7106 vote on whether to ratify the company’s three-year offer.
Details of the offer were kept confidential until USW hosted information meetings in Creighton last Thursday, May 28. Soon afterwards, the terms circulated around the community.
Sources told The Reminder that the offer includes raises totaling $4 an hour over three years, a 15 per cent increase depending on a worker’s current wage.
The offer is said to consist of an extra $1 an hour in year one, $1.75 in year two and $1.25 in year three.
Hudbay’s offer also adds another $5.50 per month of service to a worker’s pension, sources said. For a worker retiring after 30 years of service, that’s an extra $165 a month, according to a Reminder calculation.
There are also improvements to benefits, such as vision care and paramedic services.
USW did speak publicly about the offer but recommended members accept the proposal in voting that began Saturday, resumed yesterday and concludes today.
Several USW members, speaking on the condition that their names not be published, shared their thoughts with The Reminder.
One member said the offer is more than fair at a time when many companies are cutting benefits and laying off staff.
Another said he simply can’t afford a strike and isn’t alone given the rising cost of living.
Others said the USW membership appeared divided on the offer. One said he expected the offer to be accepted; another predicted it could be close either way.
Priorities
The offer exposed differing priorities between Hudbay’s two largest unions, USW Local 7106 and the striking IAM Local 1848.
Whereas USW negotiators recommended the offer, IAM declared the proposal “almost identical” to the one its members overwhelmingly rejected in April.
On its website, IAM urged USW members to defy their negotiators and vote against the offer.
“In plain and simple English, it is a BAD DEAL!” said IAM.
“Together we will make this company listen. We will get what is fair and what we deserve.
“When you cast your ballot, you must do what is right, you must vote NO!”
A USW member said the offer to his union differed from the offer to IAM in one way: IAM was offered a $3.75 raise over three years while USW was offered $4.
Meanwhile, the other USW union at Hudbay – USW Local 9338 – announced last Thursday it had also reached a tentative deal with the company.
Local 9338’s membership, consisting of 115 office and technical workers, were to vote on whether to ratify the offer on Friday and Saturday, after The Reminder went to press.
Details of that offer were not available at press time. Local 9338 members were to attend information meetings in Flin Flon on Friday and in Snow Lake on Saturday.
Like Local 7106, Local 9338 had backed a strike mandate.
Strike continues
Hudbay has now operated for over four weeks without the services of IAM, whose 180 members went on strike May 2.
At last report IAM and Hudbay still appeared far apart on a new deal. In Flin Flon, IAM members continued to man picket lines near the Hudbay main gate and at the metallurgical plant turnoff off the Perimeter Highway.
Last week, RCMP said they had received a “small number” of concerns about traffic speed near picketers and motorists not respecting the picket locations.
Motorists are reminded to be mindful of the picketers, who as of last week continued to maintain picket lines around the clock.
With breaking news updates, The Reminder has been following the strike and the ongoing negotiations at Hudbay on its website at www.thereminder.ca.
