Taseko reaches tentative deal with striking B.C. mine workers

The owner of the Gibraltar copper mine in central British Columbia announced Sunday that it hadreached a tentative deal with the striking union.

Taseko Mines said in a news release Sunday that an agreement had been struck with Unifor Local 3018,with the deal still to be approved by members.

More than 500 workers at Canada'ssecond largest open-pit copper mine, located about 200 kilometres south ofPrinceGeorge, B.C., have been on strike since June 1.

Unifor Local 3018said Vancouver-based Taseko had "refused to negotiate basic terms of a new collective agreement."

Mario Santos, Unifor's B.C. area director and national mining director, told CBC News the union will soon be going over the details with workers. He said voting is expected to take place over Monday and Tuesday, and the union should know the result by around 10 p.m. PT Tuesday.

"The bargaining committee is recommending the deal," Santos said. "They're saying it's a good deal, but they also recognize that it's going to be up for the membership to decide."

If workers approve the deal, Taseko said it expects to resume operations Wednesday. The company, which is the largest employer in the region, declined to comment further.

Taseko said it had suspended mining and milling operations at the site after the strike vote,though essential staff haveremained on site to maintain critical systems.