Highland Valley Copper Mine steelworkers pull out of Kamloops and District Labour Council

Steelworkers at British Columbia’s Highland Valley Copper Mine have voted to pull out of the Kamloops and District Labour Council over its opposition to a mine proposed for closer to the city.

Steelworkers at British Columbia's Highland Valley Copper Mine have voted to pull out of the Kamloops and District Labour Council over its opposition to a mine proposed for closer to the city.

Richard Boyce, president of United Steelworkers, Local 4619, said members and directors met this week to discuss the council's stance against the Ajax Mine.

Two Steelworkers locals in Kamloops say the labour council's opposition to the mine is premature and comes before any environmental studies have been released.

The move means a financial penalty to the labour council. If both locals were to pull out, 30 per cent of the membership would be lost.

Bill Ferguson, a senior member of the labour council, would not comment when reached Thursday.

The council, which represents about 10,000 unionized workers in the Kamloops area, came to its position in December after forming a subcommittee to study the issue and survey members.

But the council's leaders couldn't say how many people filled out surveys.

Murray Matheson, president of Communication, Energy and Paperworkers, Local 10b, which represents workers at Domtar Kamloops, said the union is not ready to join opposition to Ajax.

The union wants more information from the labour council as well as the comprehensive environmental assessment process.

"By definition, if our local feels there's not enough information, you could make the jump and say perhaps they've jumped the gun a bit," said Matheson, referring to the council's premature decision.

He said the local will wait for information about the mine's environmental impact before opposing or backing the mine.

"If, and it's a big if, the mine can be done in an environmentally friendly manner that doesn't affect our neighbourhoods, why would we say no?"

Boyce said a formal letter will be sent the labour council this month. There are no plans for talks.