Employees of US platinum miner Stillwater Mining are to go on strike on Wednesday following the collapse of negotiations over a new labour contract.

Between 800 and 900 of the company's staff at its mine in Nye and refinery and smelter at Columbus are expected to be involved in the industrial action, which is due to commence at 00.01 local time.

However, operations at the refinery are expected to continue in reduced form, since 40 employees are not going on strike.

Stillwater spokesman Jon Beaudry said: "The full crews showed up for work on schedule today. We'll see where we're at when the current labor agreement expires tonight. We have almost 200 salaried people at the mine site and those people would continue to work."

Work at the company's East Boulder mine, where employees' labour contract is still binding for another year, will remain unaffected by the strike.

Negotiations over the terms of the new contract have been ongoing for two months, in which time two provisional agreements reached by negotiators have subsequently been rejected by unions.

Source:

Stillwater Mine Workers Set to Strike, 11/07/07
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/10/ap3899432.html

US platinum miners walk off job over sick leave dispute at Stillwater, 11/07/07 http://www.mineweb.net/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page35?oid=23243&sn=Detail

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