An attempt to organize mine workers at the Copper Mountain mine near Princeton, British Columbia has failed.
In a recent vote to form a union under the banner of the United Steelworkers union (USW), local 7619, 315 mine workers cast votes on a proposal to form a union. Only 83 voted in favour of organizing under the USW banner.
Randy Gatzka, one of the organizers for the USW, admitted his union was surprised at the vote and was at a loss to explain why so many miners voted against organizing.
“We were quite taken back by the results,” he said.
James O’Rourke, CEO of Copper Mountain Mining Corp. (TSX:CUM), characterized the organizing attempt as a “raid” by the USW, which managed to sign up 45% of the eligible workforce to hold a vote. But ultimately, 75% of those workers rejected organizing.
“I think we’ve always had a good relationship with our employees, and I think our wage package is competitive,” O’Rourke said.
Gatzka denied his union came in uninvited, and said it was invited to organize mine workers. But it wasn’t wages that was their main concern, he said, but health and safety issues, including silicon dust.
The average wage for a mine worker is about $100,000, O’Rourke said. Union dues would have ended up costing them close to $500,000.
“I think from the union’s point of view, they gain both the fees and help strengthen their pension plan,” O’Rourke said.
The mine employs 415 people, about 320 of whom would be eligible to be part of the bargaining unit.
Copper Mountain resurrected the old Similco mine near Princeton in 2011.
