The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Negotiations on a vital new contract between Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting and its employees have hit a crucial stage. United Steelworkers Local 7106, the largest union at the company, announced in a memo to members that monetary proposals began being discussed on Feb. 3. 'We all know that the money is the bottom line, whether it be wages, pensions or benefits,' read the memo, which has also been posted on the union's website. 'Your Bargaining Committee is dedicated to stay focused and bargain the best possible deal. Let's hope Hudbay won't let money stop them from doing the right things for their employees and our communities.' According to the one-page notice, 'this round of bargaining appears to be like no other in the past.' 'Both parties are making an effort to find some common ground,' it read. The announcement comes after the union and company 'wrapped up' non-monetary details 'with several agreed upon items to date,' the memo stated. Unionized HBMS employees are still working under the terms of a no-strike contract that ended with the arrival of 2012. Adamant Union leaders have been adamant about regaining their right to strike. Moreover, an earlier memo put out by Local 7106 proclaims 'Record Metal Prices / No Sacrifices' relative to the next contract. HBMS's primary metal, zinc, has fallen from more than $1.10 a pound in February 2011 to 91 cents a pound as of Tuesday, according to the London Metal Exchange. While many analysts have high hopes for copper in 2012, the LME shows the metal falling from about $4.50 per pound in February 2011 to under $3.80 as of Tuesday. On the plus side, gold remains at record highs as global demand grows. And according to the Business Standard website, silver prices are rebounding following record gains in late 2010 and early 2011. Local 7106 had earlier indicated 'great concerns' with contractual language relative to employee 'bumping' rights when areas of HBMS are shutting down. The union also did not favour workers joining HBMS staff and then returning to the union. In a memo, the union said: 'If you want to be staff - stay staff. That's our position.' HBMS has refrained from publicly commenting about the contract negotiations.
