Hudbay machinists are ready to take a strike vote if concilliation fails, but the head of their union says job action is unlikely.
Officials from IAM Local 1848 and Hudbay were scheduled to meet with an independent federal concilliator yesterday, today and tomorrow to help hammer out a new contract.
“Our hope is to come through concilliation with a contract package that addresses our members’ concerns, and as the bargaining committee, we can recommend acceptance of the package,” said Rene Beauchamp, president of the union. “Failing that, we will be taking a strike vote.”
Not probable
Beauchamp does not believe a strike is probable.
“Given the fact that the Flin Flon-Snow Lake area is the only Hudbay operation that is currently making money, not very likely,” he said when asked how likely a strike is. “Again, it is our hope to get a contract package. However, it appears management’s bargaining strategy is to push negotiations to the brink. To what end would only be speculation.”
Rob Winton, head of Hudbay’s Manitoba operations, said concilliation with IAM offers “hope the framework for a deal can be advanced.”
Winton clarified Beauchamp’s statement about Hudbay operations, saying the company’s Constancia project in Peru is currently producing copper concentrate and is expected to make a shipment this quarter.
IAM is the only one of seven northern Manitoba unions at Hudbay that has entered concilliation, which aims to help both sides find common ground.
Beauchamp said the process could produce a new agreement, the scheduling of additional meetings or an impasse.
While the other unions are in charge of their own negotiations, Beauchamp said all of IAM’s proposals remain outstanding.
“Other than some grievances being settled, the answer to every proposal has been rejected,” Beauchamp said. “Management has indicated that they are satisfied with the current language in the CBA [collective bargaining agreement] and they will attempt to administer it better in the future. Management has had our complete package since early December, but to date we are still waiting for their monetary package proposal.”
Seeking contracts
The 190-member IAM and the other Hudbay unions are seeking new contracts with the company. They are currently working under the terms of deals that expired on Jan. 1, 2015.
Winton said Hudbay is “committed to completing this round of negotiations in a professional and business-focused manner.”
“Union availability and commitment to professional and business-based negotiations has been excellent from a few of our unions,” Winton said, “and I remain confident in Hudbay’s team and their ability to negotiate a fair agreement that meets the needs of our employees and maintains flexibility for the business unit to secure a bright future for northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.”
One frequent concern for IAM has been Hudbay’s use of contractors, but some workers have told The Reminderthey fear a strike – hypothetical as it is at this stage – would result in more contractors.
Asked if he shares that concern, Beauchamp said all of IAM’s proposals are geared toward hiring, training and retaining tradespeople.
“The reason given to us for [the use of] contractors is that [Hudbay] can’t hire enough tradespeople to maintain operations,” said Beauchamp. “We both want the same thing here, so we should be able to agree on something.”
