SASKATOON – The labour dispute between Cameco (TSX:CCO) and its unionized workers at two northern sites appears to be over.
The Saskatoon-based uranium company announced Friday a tentative agreement has been reached with workers at its McArthur River and Key Lake operations.
Terms of the deal have not been released. At issue in the dispute were pensions, benefits and compensation for working in remote locations.
In a release, Cameco said both parties have agreed to withdraw the strike and lockout notices and “preparations are underway to return workers to the sites and safely resume production while continuing to protect the environment.”
The roughly 535 members of United Steelworkers Local 8914 are expected to vote on the new deal in late September and early October and the bargaining committee is recommending acceptance.
The workers were locked out on Aug. 29 after the union issued a strike notice for 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 30.
Both parties had jointly applied for conciliation in July under the Canada Labour Code.
Cameco had given USW what it called its final offer days before the lockout started and asked the union to send it to its membership for a vote, which was rejected by the bargaining committee.
The workers had been without a contract since the last contract expired on Dec. 31, 2013.
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