The Bloom Lake mine in Quebec, Canada.
Unionised employees at the Bloom Lake mine, in Canada, have rejected Champion Iron’s proposed terms towards a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and voted in favour of a strike action mandate, the dual-listed company reported on Monday.
The unionised workers are represented by the Syndicat des Metallos and account for 63% of the workforce at Bloom Lake.
The strike mandate enables the union to initiate at any time a strike if the ongoing discussions do not conclude a new CBA.
“We are disappointed that we could not reach an agreement with the union following recent discussions and a mediation process,” commented CEO David Cataford.
“We always have the wellbeing of our employees at heart, whether unionised or not. As such, we aim to create the best possible work conditions to retain, attract and develop the best talent, while ensuring our company can navigate volatile economic environments. Our latest global offer submitted to Metallos meets this objective in every aspect,” said Cataford.
The company is hopeful that it will find common ground with the union for a new CBA.