Strike at Sudbury's SNOLAB over

A strike at the SNOLAB underground science facility in Sudbury, Ont. is over.

SNOLAB said 52 employees who are members of the United Steelworkers Local 2020 voted to accept a four-year settlement offer last Friday.

It said the agreement will provide cost of living salary increases and will extend new family leave benefits to unionized workers.

"This agreement ensures SNOLAB's world-class science program will continue with a world-class workforce," Jodi Cooley, executive director at SNOLAB said.

"SNOLAB strives to provide a world-leading environment for exploring priority questions about origins and nature of the universe, and that includes providing an attractive work environment offering competitive wages and excellent benefits."

SNOLAB is the world's deepest, cleanest science lab, built two kilometres underground in Vale's Creighton mine. 

Workers had been on the picket line since May 8.

'Wasn't a get rich scheme'

Pascal Bouchard is the area co-ordinator for the United Steelworkers for northeastern Ontario. He said members are heading back to work on Tuesday.

"This wasn't a get rich scheme for these folks. They just wanted a fair deal," he said.

"Just something that would keep up with inflation. They're extremely passionate about their work and the science they perform at SNOLAB. It was never really about money, it was about respect."

Bouchard added outstanding issues were addressed in the new deal.

"We were able to achieve family leave, some type of provision for family leave for every year of the collective agreement," he said. 

"And we were also able to increase our wages, slightly."