Vale to run smelter

Posted By CAROL MULLIGAN, THE SUDBURY STAR

Posted 22 mins ago

Vale Inco Ltd. is training employees to run the Copper Cliff Smelter Complex, although a spokesman says the company doesn't have a startup date.

If Vale Inco does restart the complex, which has been shut down since scheduled maintenance began May 1, the company will ensure all safety and regulatory requirements are met, says Steve Ball.

"A decision specifically when to start up has not been made, though once we are in a position to do so and when we believe the time is right, we will," Ball said Monday.

"We have reviewed what it would take to start the smelter and we have been training people in this area since we announced we would be producing in a limited manner," he said.

About 3,050 hourly rated production and maintenance workers, members of United Steelworkers Local 6500, have been on strike since July 13. Another 130 USW Local 6200 members in Port Colborne are also on strike. About 450 members of USW Local 9508 in Voisey's Bay have been on strike since Aug. 1.

Vale Inco has resumed partial operations at Clarabelle Mill, as well as at Garson Ramp and Coleman Mine in Levack. Ball would not give details of those operations, saying they are "running as scheduled."

When asked if the three operations are showing a profit in limited production, Ball would only say: "We are not reporting specific production numbers from our mining and milling of copper ores."

United Steelworkers staff representative Myles Sullivan says he can't believe inside employees, including staff, management and members of United Steelworkers Local 2020, have the skills to safely run the smelter complex, even with training.

Operations in the smelter complex, such as the acid plant, can pose hazards to workers and the community should anything go wrong.

"We don't think they're going to operate it," said Sullivan. "It could put the community at risk."

Meanwhile, discussions continue between Vale Inco and the Steelworkers about picket line protocol after a Sudbury judge told the two sides to settle their own problems and not rely on the courts.

"We have resolved a few items, though we continue to experience long delays at different picket lines at different times," said Ball.

"We are hoping these can be worked out with the USW representatives."

The Steelworkers, meanwhile, are continuing their campaign to turn their Canadian labour differences with the Brazilian-based Vale SA, parent company of Vale Inco, into an international cause. The union's campaign expanded to Australia and New Caledonia this week.

A Steelworkers delegation, including Local 6500 members Bernie Arseneau and Norm Rivard, visited a coal-mining region of Australia on Monday and received support from the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union.

The 120,000-member CFMEU is Australia's largest trade union in mining, construction, forestry and energy production.

The Steelworkers also met with coal miners from Australia's Hunter Valley area, who recently became employees of Vale SA. After acquiring the former Inco Ltd. in 2006, Vale bought the Australian coal mines in 2007.

The Australian miners acknowledged the importance of global worker solidarity, according to a news release from USW in Canada.

"Vale is a company that clearly has no qualms about slashing wages and conditions or even using strikebreakers when it feels like it," said CFMEU General Secretary Andrew Vickers.

"If Vale can get away with it in Canada, then they will do it here, too.

"Hunter Valley coal miners must brace themselves for a fight."

Vale Inco is set to release its third-quarter results Wednesday. The following day, it will hold a conference call and webcast presentation for investors from Rio de Janeiro.