Nevada mine workers hold work stoppage

More than 500 employees staged a two-day work stoppage at Newmont Mining Corp.'s Carlin Trend mines over the company's latest contract offer, union officials said.

The workers picketed the world's largest gold mining company during the stoppage Friday and Thursday, but mining continued.

The employees, whose contract expired Sept. 30, cited prescription co-payments and arsenic-protection measures as key sticking points.

"The contract is open and the union is at odds over many issues," said Frank Herrera, treasurer of Operating Engineers Union Local No. 3. "We are still far apart."

Newmont officials say their $17 million, three-year package is fair. It includes a 3 percent pay increase the first year and a 2 percent raise the next two years.

Denver-based Newmont's mines on the Carlin Trend 270 miles east of Reno near Elko account for a large portion of its revenues.

"We feel it is a very generous offer," company spokesman Doug Hock told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "We hope the union can vote to ratify it, but they have refused to present it to their members."

The union will not accept the contract because some important worker issues have not been addressed, Herrera said. The union represents 960 employees at the mines, 550 of which are union members.

"We went from A to Z with the members on the company's proposal and they are not ready to ratify it," Herrera said.

Workers are concerned that they are exposed to dangerous levels of naturally occurring arsenic during their 12-hour shifts.

"There is arsenic in the air and they feel they are unsafe when they eat," Herrera said. "We would like them (company) to provide them an arsenic-free place to eat their lunch."

But Hock said an industrial hygienist employed by the company is charged with monitoring arsenic levels to ensure worker safety.

"We are not endangering our employees," he said.

In October, the amount of money employees must pay for prescription drugs under the company health plan was increased, Hock said, adding that it is not a part of the contract.

"It's a non-issue," Hock said.

The company's current offer expires Wednesday, and union officials said more work stoppages are likely if Newmont does not offer workers a better contract.

"We are ready to protest all their illegal activity," Herrera said.

Newmont said Friday it's net income nearly quadrupled in the latest quarter, thanks to higher gold sales and prices.