The maintenance shutdown of Vale’s Manitoba Operations will be extended by three to four weeks, employees were told Aug 20, though this won’t result in any temporary layoffs.
The move is being made for safety reasons, said North Atlantic mining operations director Alistair Ross.
“Since assuming the role of lead for Mining Operations across Canada, I have had a good opportunity to ‘see with my feet’ to better understand our business,” said Ross in a memo to all Manitoba employees. “This has included a number of visits to Thompson, where I have come to appreciate not only the commitment of our employees, but also the impact of the closure of the smelter and refinery on our people and the broader community.I recognize that you have all been incredibly resilient in dealing with the transition and the uncertainty that has come along with it. While it is understandable that this kind of change can have an impact on morale, we cannot accept a state where our people are more prone to accepting risk, distraction and even shortcuts. Of great concern is the fact that there have been a number of serious high potential incidents recently that lead me to believe that this is the state we now find ourselves in.While change is difficult, we cannot ever allow unacceptable levels of risk to the people in our care, and this is why we need to act now by extending our shutdown with a sharp focus on creating a safer workplace.”
The extended shutdown will provide an opportunity to engage every member of Vale’s Manitoba workforce in a “a deeper commitment to operational excellence” as well as help them focus on “good housekeeping” practices to ensure improved safety when production starts back up. It will also provide more time for development work in the mines in hopes of “optimizing production results in 2018 and 2019.”
Ross also announced that Warren Brass would be retiring this fall after 37 years with Manitoba Operations and that Gary Annett, currently the manager of Vale’s Garson Mine in Sudbury, would work in Manitoba Operations for three-month term as the manager of Thompson mines.
“Warren will work with Gary through this transition as an advisor and key ambassador as we work to set up the Manitoba Operations for the future,” said Ross. “Thompson has a very bright mining and milling future and remains one of our most promising nickel resources, adding significant value to Base Metals. It is critical for all of you to understand that we will only realize Thompson’s potential by ensuring people’s safety as we plan and execute production—reliably, efficiently and sustainably.Our Manitoba Operations have been here for more than 60 years. I am committed to creating the best future possible for Thompson, and invite all of you to join me. We will start with an intense focus on improving all work places over the next few weeks – this will become a powerful base on which we can reposition ourselves to work together in the best way possible to safely build that future.”
