LABOUR PEACE: Xstrata Nickel, USW 2020 sign agreement

ONTARIO - A three-year collective agreement has been ratified by United Steelworkers Local 2020 and employer Xstrata Nickel in Sudbury. The union represents the company's office, clerical and technical employees.

Highlights of the agreement include competitive wage and benefit adjustments, a continuity allowance and a revised nickel bonus formula. Also included was a new employee incentive program tied to the performance of Sudbury Operations and Xstrata Process Support, the company's research and development facility located in Falconbridge. The deal also includes a commitment from the union to work with the company on addressing pension cost challenges longer term.

Xstrata Nickel's plans to reactivate copper mining at the Fraser mine will enable the recall of 12 workers previously affected by the restructuring of Sudbury Operations in 2009. A six-month transition protocol was agreed to as part of this labour pact.

Information about Xstrata's Sudbury Operations is available at www.Xstrata.com.