Glencore, Mine Mill reach tentative agreement

Mine Mill Local 598 and Glencore in Sudbury have reached a tentative agreement. The exterior of the mining giant's smelter site in Greater Sudbury is seen on January 30, 2025. (Pat Laframboise/CTV News Northern Ontario)

Mine Mill Local 598 and Glencore in Sudbury have reached a tentative agreement, the union said Saturday morning.

The mining giant and Unifor’s Collective Agreement expired at midnight on Friday, both sides had been participating in contract talks all week.

A strike mandate had been approved by 97.6 per cent of UNIFOR Local 598 Sudbury Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers Union members, earlier in the month, meaning a strike could have begun this weekend had an agreement not been reached.

The union represents 679 production and maintenance workers at Glencore’s Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations.

In an email Saturday, Mine Mill President Eric Boulay said the two parties had a tentative agreement.

“We have reached a tentative agreement which will be presented to the members today and voted on tomorrow,” he said.

The recording on an information hotline that Glencore setup for contract negotiation updates said “we have reached a tentative new collective agreement with Unifor Minemill Smelter Local 598” when called just after 10 a.m.

“The union negotiations team has unanimously recommended acceptance of the tentative Agreement,” said Yonaniko Grenon, a company senior communications specialist, in an email to CTV News.

The tentative agreement reached is the result of “dedication and commitment by both sides of the bargaining table,” the company recording added.

Grenon echoed the recording ‘s sentiments saying “we thank both bargaining teams for their hard work, commitment and dedication in achieving this tentative agreement.”

No details about the tentative agreement have yet been released to the public.

The update will be posted to the information hotline after 10 p.m. on Sunday, following the union’s ratification vote.