PotashCorp, union to return to strike talks

08 October 2008 21:50  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--PotashCorp is willing to return to the bargaining table with some 500 workers that have been on strike for the past two months, a company spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Days after receiving a formal request from the United Steelworkers (USW) union to return to the negotiating process, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PotashCorp) plans to resume talks with the striking labourers, company spokesperson Rhonda Speiss said.

However, Speiss said, the company will not budge in its rejection of commodity-based bonuses proposed by the union, and no meetings between the two parties have been scheduled.

“We did receive a recent USW request to return to the bargaining table, and we will resume talks, but we will not be able to negotiate on a commodity-based bonus like the union has proposed,” Speiss said.

Messages left with union officials were not immediately returned on Wednesday.

The two sides have been in a stalemate since mediation broke down on 7 August, and, until recently, they have not spoken since.

For two months, workers at the 2m tonne/year plant in Allan, 800,000 tonne/year plant in Cory and 300,000 tonne/year plant in Patience Lake have declined to show up for work. All three sites are in Canada’s Saskatchewan province and produce potash fertilizer.

Since then, the Cory plant has been shut down, and the Patience Lake plant has not restarted as originally planned on 4 October, both directly because of the strike. Management workers have been pooled from the three sites to operate the Allan facility at half capacity.

For more on PotashCorp’s plants, visit ICIS plants and projects
To discuss issues facing the chemical industry go to ICIS connect

By: David Rosen
713-525-2653

< previous article(VIDEO - ICIS news Asia Lunchtime Bulletin 16 October 2009)

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly