Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Xstrata Strike Appears Likely

The former Falconbridge nickel mines in the Sudbury, Ontario area could be shut down tomorrow by over a thousand members of the CAW mine/mill division. The workers rejected an earlier company offer of a C$8,000 signing bonus. “Instead of bonuses, they would rather see a wage increase,”' a union spokesman said because bonuses are “a one-time deal.” CAW is demanding a C$1 an hour raise now and 75 cents in the second year. A strike would compound a global shortage of nickel used in stainless steel. Prices have more than doubled during the past year.

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