Employees of the Vale Inco mining and processing company set up picket lines early Monday morning at two locations in Ontario - a mine in Sudbury, and a refinery in Port Colborne. Employees represented by the United Steelworkers' Union Locals 6500 and 6200 voted Saturday to reject the offered contract , citing bonuses and pensions among the contentious issues. Miners at a third location, in Labrador, have also voted yes on a strike authorization, scheduled to begin in a few weeks. Although the union voted overwhelmingly against the contract, leaders have said the union is willing to go back to the negotiating table, if the company is willing to offer a compromise. Vale Inco has so far refused to comment.
See "Strike begins at Vale Inco's Ontario sites", Euan Rocha & Peter Galloway, Reuters, July 12, 2009