Kemess Union Rejects Contract

Wednesday, March 05, 2008 03:54 AM

Prince George, B.C. - It's back to the drawing board for negotiators with union and Northgate Minerals .

The members of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 115 at the Kemess South mine, have rejected the tentative agreement presented to them. The Union had recommended ratification.

Further talks, this time involving a mediator, are expected to begin within the next week.

The life span for the Kemess South mine is short and Northgate Minerals has scrapped its plans for the Kemess North mine which would have extended the work life of the "Kemess" projects for another dozen years.

All operations at the site continue to run normally, with no disruption to scheduled production.

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Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 03:54 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on March 5 2008 7:46 AM

Kemess is going to be shut down anyway, why not strike and close the mine down early.

Anyone planning to visit that end of the road better get started. No Kemess, no more plowed road, no more trucks. Even the native will move out and wait for the next investor to milk. In the traditional way of course.

At least Councillor Deb will be happy with the decrease in trucking as those diesel trucks are blowing dust around PG and messing with the Clean Air!

Posted by: ammonra on March 5 2008 8:18 AM

So much for union rank and file being a bunch of sheep who always do what the union bosses say. The bunch of sheep here are actually dictating to the union bosses. What is the world coming to? ;-]

Posted by: Bridge on March 5 2008 9:31 AM

We need those guys in PG. Maybe they could give our council some dirction as to where to go.

Cheers

Posted by: Palopu on March 5 2008 10:36 AM

What diesel trucks are you talking about YamaDoo at best you would get three or four trucks per week going to Kemess> This is hardly a major problem.

Posted by: metalman on March 6 2008 8:32 AM

Correct me if I am wrong here, but is not the ore reloaded onto rail cars after being trucked from Kemess to or near the hwy? As far as I know, none of those ore carrying (Excel or Lomak?) trucks come to Prince George.I do not know what 'life remaining' Kemess has, but one would have to assume that as long as gold and copper are ridiculously high in price, they will eventually acquiesce to the union, and keep on truckin' until it is no longer profitable. Their shutdown may even come sooner, if metals prices start to slump.
The good news for workers in that industry is that there is a lot of exploration going on in the same area as Kemess, which will probably lead to more mines opening, as the gold copper and lead etc. are there in sufficient reserve to make it more than feasible, at todays' prices.
metalman.

Posted by: uncleM on March 7 2008 9:47 PM

Yeah, I have to agree with YamaDooPolCat. Kemess North expansion has just been officially killed by the government. Why not shut the mine now and start looking for new jobs?

The First Nation people will survive the mine closure just fine. They will go back to their traditional way of life, no need for the road.

Posted by: uncleM on March 7 2008 10:24 PM