As Hudbay's largest union began a ratification vote Saturday, members waded through a barrage of information in deciding how to cast their ballots.
The approximately 650 members of USW Local 7106 vote on the company's final offer Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Voting takes place in Flin Flon on Saturday and Monday and in Snow Lake on Sunday and Monday.
Several USW members who spoke to The Reminder on the condition their names not be published said the offer, which includes an extra $4 an hour over three years, is fair for labourers who, unlike members of the striking IAM Local 1848, do not have a trade to fall back on.
But others felt that the raise is not sufficient and that issues like the company's use of contractors remain worrisome.
A common account making the rounds is that Hudbay essentially held a gun to the head of USW, but one member present at a union information meeting on Thursday said that's not a fair summary.
USW negotiators told the meeting that Hudbay did say a lockout would result if the offer is refused, the member said, but USW countered that it has the ability to strike, so the issue was essentially a wash.
Some USW members felt they should reject the deal in solidarity with IAM, which rejected a similar offer in April, while others said IAM must respect USW's decision as the former union has asked the latter union to do.
USW Local 9338, which represents 115 office and technical workers, concludes its voting on Hudbay's final offer today. It announced a tentative agreement with the company on Thursday, two days after Local 7106.
A member of Local 9338 said the union was offered the same deal as Local 7106. Results of the vote are to be released at the same time as Local 7106's results, the member said.
The Reminder will continue to follow this story online and in print.
