Bartolucci asks mediator to call both sides back to negotiating table

Posted By Star Staff

Updated 12 secs ago

Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci has asked a mediation specialist with the Ministry of Labour to call representatives from Vale Inco and the United Steelworkers of America Local 6500 labour dispute back to the table to see if there is some common ground to restart negotiations.

"There can be no settlement without talking," said Bartolucci in a press release today. "In light of what will be taking place in Voisey's Bay, this appears to be an alternative worth exploring."

However, as recently as mid-December, a Vale Inco official said there is "no reason to believe that further negotiations will be successful."

The labour disruption in Sudbury is entering its sixth month without the two sides talking, Bartolucci noted in the release. The Sudbury Liberal MPP said he has "taken a neutral position during the strike."

"The only way resolution can take place is at the bargaining table between the two affected sides and not the result of cheap political tricks or grandstanding on anyone's part," he says in the release.

"There should be no reason why both sides wouldn't want to try (negotiating). At this point in time anything is worth trying to facilitate a resumption of talks and this approach seems reasonable and worth trying."