After four-and-a-half months of negotiations, the 470 members of Canadian Auto Workers Local 3018 ratified a new collective agreement Dec. 21, 2012.
Local 3018 of the CAW represents the mine workers at Gibraltar Mines, a subsidiary of Teseko Mines. The vote was 88 per cent in favour of acceptance.
In a press release C.A.W. said wage and benefit improvements average more than 14 per cent over the four-year term retroactive to the the expiry of the collective agreement June 1, 2012.
Many other improvements include a fairer process for training and the selection of apprentices, an increase in premiums and comprehensive anti-harassment language. There were no concessions.
Arnold Fontaine Chairperson of Local 3018 Negotiating Committee comments, "This was our first negotiations with the CAW and we were pleased with the outcome. There is no doubt that we bargained everything we could short of a strike. Although the membership was more than prepared to strike over the holidays, most were relieved this wasn't necessary".
Russell Hallbauer, president and chief executive officer Taseko, said the company is pleased to have reached an agreement with its unionized employees.
"We believe the new deal is fair for our unionized employees and also provides Taseko with long-term, stable labour costs. Our workforce at Gibraltar has doubled in the last five years as the capital investments made by Taseko have created long-term, well-paying jobs in the Cariboo region."
The agreement is timely, he added. "With the new GDP3 project just weeks away from being handed over from the construction contractors to Gibraltar operations for ramp up."