Sudbury Northern Life
Local contractors will be affected by recent Vale Inco cutbacks announcements.
Poor market conditions have caused the company to temporarily shut down South Mine and put off for a year work on the Copper Cliff Deep development project.
Just how much impact on the companies and their workers is yet to be determined, said Angie Robson, Vale Inco manager of external relations Friday afternoon.
“The Vale Inco announcement made Dec. 4, 2008 about measures the company is taking regarding South Mine and the Copper Cliff Deep project will impact on contractors,” said Robson.
The redeployment of 350 South Mine Vale Inco employees will affect contractors.
“Some of those workers will be put on work contractors are currently doing elsewhere,” she said.
Coleman Mine contractors will be affected, she said.
“We are working with our contractors on a one-to-one basis. Some contractors are completing work already underway. Other projects involving contractors will be postponed.”
One contract employee laid off at the Coleman site told Northern Life Friday morning that a number of contractors were affected there.
Robson said that rumours circulating about contractors having to leave Vale Inco sites by Jan. 1, 2009 were not true.
“This is not the case,” said Robson.
As for regarding the numbers of contractors affected, the precise numbers are not yet available, she said.
“We have to look at their contracts, contract by contract, before we can substantiate any numbers (of workers) affected.”
