Business & Markets
Strike begins at Highland Valley Copper; Teck says output is reduced
Teck confirmed the walkout and said the mine is still operating at reduced capacity. The company has not quantified the output change, and the duration of the labor action remains uncertain.
Executive summary
- Strike has begun: United Steelworkers Local 7619 said its members are on strike at Teck's Highland Valley Copper operation in British Columbia. Teck separately confirmed that strike action has commenced.[1][2][3]
- Mine still operating: Teck said Highland Valley Copper is continuing to operate at reduced capacity. It did not provide an output figure or say how long the strike may last; the company said production effects will depend on the duration of the labor action.[1]
- Negotiations remain unresolved: The union says the sides remained apart after contract talks, citing proposals and concessions it opposed. Castanet reported the dispute involves wages, pensions, staffing shortages and proposed concessions; Teck says it remains committed to reaching an agreement.[2][3][1]
Teck Resources said Saturday that United Steelworkers Local 7619's strike action had commenced at Highland Valley Copper, its mine near Logan Lake in south-central British Columbia. The company said operations were continuing at reduced capacity and that the effect on total production would depend on how long the labor action lasts. It did not state an output level or quantify a production loss.[1]
The union's Oct. 24 update to members also declared the local on strike and directed workers to the mine's main gate. Local president Kyle Wolff told Castanet that picket lines had been set up and workers had left the job. Castanet separately reported Teck's confirmation that the mine was operating at reduced capacity.[2][3]
The previous collective agreement expired Sept. 30. Teck said it remains committed to a collective agreement it describes as fair and reasonable for employees and supportive of the operation's long-term viability. The union said it gave the company additional time but that the proposals still left it unwilling to accept concessions. Those are the parties' accounts of a labor dispute, not an independent finding about the merits of either position.[1][2][3]
Castanet reported that the local represents 1,277 workers and that negotiations covered wages, pensions, staffing shortages and proposed concessions. The union said 944 members took part in its earlier strike-authorization vote and that all who voted supported job action. The mine's actual staffing level during the strike has not been stated by Teck.[3][2]
The reduced-capacity disclosure confirms an immediate operating effect, but public statements reviewed here do not establish how much copper production has been lost or whether shipment schedules have changed. Teck said the effect on overall production would depend on the duration of the labor action. No revised production guidance was included in its update.[1]
This archival aerial photograph shows Highland Valley Copper and its tailings dam on Aug. 5, 2012. It predates the labor dispute by more than a decade and does not depict the strike or current operating conditions. The photograph by Alvestrand is shared under CC BY-SA 3.0; this copy was resized without other alteration.[4]