Labour/Management Relations

We work with all employees to achieve employee engagement and good employee relations. We aim to provide employees with reasonable periods of notice. However, as practice and legislation on minimum notice periods varies considerably between operations there is no common minimum notice period.

We fully recognize the rights of employees to freely associate and join trade unions. Approximately 60% of the workforce is unionized while the balance is covered by individual agreements. Health and safety topics are typically included in collective bargaining agreements. Health and safety topics differ by region based on practice and legislation; therefore there is no common set of topics.

Line Creek Operations near Sparwood, British Columbia ratified a five-year collective agreement in February 2010, replacing a prior agreement which expired on May 31, 2009. The new agreement provided a 3% annual wage increases and will expire on May 31, 2014.

There were no strikes or lockouts in 2009. There was a strike at Coal Mountain Operations in 2010 and we will report on this in our 2010 Sustainability Report.

There were no operations identified in which the right to exercise freedom of association and collective bargaining may be at significant risk.

We measure the number and percentage of employees covered by collective bargaining agreements, however, this indicator is only relevant for operations with union representation.

Number and Percentage of Employees Covered by Bargaining Agreements