Strike action has begun at Stillwater Mining's platinum mine in Canada, it has been reported.

According to the Associated Press, Stillwater employees have gone on strike after failing to agree a package on wages and benefits.

Stillwater announced earlier this week that the USW International Union's members had failed to ratify a new labour agreement hammered out between the union's officials and representatives from the mining company.

As a result, the strike action began on the expiration of the current labour agreement, which had already been extended once to July 11th.

It is the second strike to be launched by the 900 workers at Stillwater's operations in three years and came after packages agreed by the union's officials were twice rejected in votes by the USW's membership.

"We intend to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and are hopeful that an acceptable agreement can be reached," said Stillwater's Chairman and Chief Executive, Frank McAllister.

Sources:
Union Membership Turns Down Labor Contract at Stillwater Mine and Processing Facilities; Strike Pending, 10/7/07
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=99837&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1024391&highlight=

Strike starts at only U.S. platinum mine, 11/07/07
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/11/ap3905142.html

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