Trade union Unite accuses Tara Mines owner of ‘threats’

Tara Mines – which was one of the biggest operational zinc mines in the world – has been under care and maintenance since last year. Operations were suspended as the mine became unprofitable amid a fall in global zinc prices and high energy costs. Preliminary results show that Tara Mines made a €65m loss in 2023.

It is costing Boliden €1m a week to keep the mine in stasis while negotiations with unions continue with a hope to restarting activity at the site.

Mr Staffas was asked at a results briefing in Sweden last week if the group has a deadline for closing the mine if it can’t be reopened on a profitable basis.

“Not formally,” he said. “Of course, at some stage if we don’t think we can get anywhere so we can get it profitable we have to close it, but what [the] exact timing is around that is relatively open.”

Unite regional officer Brian Hewitt described Mr Staffas’ comments as a “new low” in what he claimed was a “bullying approach” adopted by the company since last year.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that the ongoing suspension of operations at the mine has been dictated by a desire to undermine workers’ terms and conditions, rather than any immediate external factors such as energy costs, which are falling, or the price of zinc which is projected to start rising,” claimed Mr Hewitt.

“Now Boliden’s management is resorting to threats in an attempt to force workers to accept their cost-cutting agenda and tear up previously negotiated agreements surrounding redundancies,” he added.

Last month, Tara Mines unveiled a rescue plan to staff that will involve slashing about a third of the 600 jobs at the site and a huge initial reduction in the amount of ore the mine extracts every year.

The mine’s management have warned that “difficult decisions” must be made to secure its future.

“We remain in discussions with the group of unions and continue to work towards achieving an agreement,” said Tara Mines general manager Gunnar Nystrom last week.