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David Bell gold mine union requests mediated talks

Reuters Canada

David Bell gold mine union requests mediated talks

Mon Nov 5, 2007 2:24 PM EST

TORONTO (Reuters) - The union representing workers at the David Bell gold mine in northern Ontario, a joint venture of Teck Cominco <TCKb.TO> and Barrick Gold <ABX.TO>, has requested provincial mediation as it tries to hammer out a new deal, it said on Monday.

However, while such a request is usually a sign of stalled talks, United Steelworkers staff representative Herb Daniher said it was instead due to the complexity of negotiating the contract, which will be the last at David Bell before it is decommissioned.

"It's issues you wouldn't normally have to deal with in normal operations," including how the mine will be decommissioned and what will happen to workers afterward, Daniher told Reuters.

The previous three-year deal covering 100 miners and maintenance staff expired last week, but Daniher said there would not likely be a work stoppage unless talks drag on a few more weeks.

"We'll need to do something before month end. But we're not anticipating any type of a labor dispute at this stage," he said.

The mine, part of the Hemlo mine complex about 350 kilometers (220 miles) east of Thunder Bay, produced just under 100,000 ounces last year.

Teck Cominco said on Friday it had no concern about any work stoppage.

($1=$0.93 Canadian)

 

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