Talks underway
Negotiation teams representing Vale’s Thompson operations and United Steelworkers were meeting regularly in an attempt to reach a contract agreement by today, when the current agreement expires.
The union’s bargaining committee wrote in the August issue of its newsletter that negotiators had begun discussing the monetary portion after the completion of a scheduled two-week break.
“Many of you will have gone through several contract negotiations and for some of you this will be your first experience,” read the newsletter. “Bargaining can be a stressful time for some members who would naturally wonder what is going on and if we will be working after the contract expires on September 15th. Currently the process has been respectful and moving along as expected.”
Reducing wolves
Starting today, Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Environment will begin piloting the use of licensed hunters to reduce wolf populations in an area of the province where a high number of livestock kills have been attributed to wolves.
The wolf hunt will run from Sept. 15, 2014 to March 31, 2015, and be restricted to wildlife management zone (WMZ) 49, which runs south along the forest from Carrot River to Greenwater Lake Provincial Park, then east along the forest to Hudson Bay.
There will be 100 licences available at Ministry of Environment offices in Nipawin, Hudson Bay and Greenwater Lake Provincial Park. Licences will be available on a first come basis and must be picked up in person.
Rowat done
Veteran Manitoba MLA Leanne Rowat, who represents Riding Mountain, will not seek re-election next year, CBC reports.
Rowat, a Progressive Conservative, was first elected in 2003.
