Sudbury workers refuse to process Voisey's nickel

Unionized smelter workers in Sudbury say they will not process any more nickel extractedfrom the strike-boundVoisey's Bay mine in northern Labrador.

Miners at Voisey's Bay— who have been on strike since July 28— have been concerned that stores of nickel concentrate could be shipped to Ontario for processing.

Some ore from Voisey's Bay has already been processed in Ontario since the strike started.

John Fera, president of the United Steelworkers union local at parent company Inco's Sudbury smelter, said his members are in solidarity with the 117 mine, mill and heavy-equipment operators on strike.

"Inco operated for a long time on external ore from other places and they can do the same thing," Fera told CBC News.

"If they're going to strike our people at Voisey's Bay, and if they're going to try and scab those plants, then I think the message to Inco is, 'You better look for another external smelter, because it won't be Voisey's Bay going through the smelter,' " he said.

Jeff Michelin, one of the Labrador strikers, said pickets at Voisey's Bay were concerned that enough nickel to fill a shipload and a half is stockpiled near the mine.

"They should support us and not be doing that work until this is settled away," Michelin said.

The Voisey's Bay mine went into production late last fall.

No talks are scheduled between Inco and union representatives.