Having reached an agreement over employees discharged through the strike, Vale and Sudbury's United Steelworkers (USW) Local 6500 have announced a tentative deal has been reached on a new five-year contract.
Memorandums of understanding will be signed between the two parties through July 5, and members of Local 6500 will be able to vote on a contract July 7 and 8. Similar agreements have been reached with USW Local 6200 in Port Colborne, whose ratification votes will be held on July 8.
The issue of the nine discharged workers was the sole remaining obstacle in reaching a deal, and will be heard by the Ontario Labour Relations Board beginning July 9.
In a release, Steelworkers thanked Minister of Labour Peter Fonseca, Deputy Minister of Labour Cynthia Morton, as well as Ministry of Labour Conciliation and Mediation Director Reg Pearson.
Thanks were also offered to mediator Kevin Burkett “for his tireless efforts over the last several months that have made it possible for the tentative settlements to be considered by the USW memberships.”
The labour dispute has left roughly 3,000 Sudbury workers on the picket lines since June 13 of last year.
