Teck Resources reports reduced capacity at Highland Valley as strike begins
USW Local 7619 represents about 1,200 workers at the B.C. copper operation, whose production loss has not been quantified.
Mara Quinlan
Teck Resources Limited TSETECK.A TSETECK.B NYSETECK said on Saturday its Highland Valley Copper operation is running at reduced capacity after United Steelworkers Local 7619 began strike action. The disruption affects a wholly owned B.C. operation that produced 127,000 tonnes of copper in 2025.
Class B shares TSETECK.B rose 0.12 per cent to C$82.68 in Toronto at the Oct. 23 close, 4 p.m. EDT. That close preceded Saturday's operating update.
Teck's Oct. 24 announcement did not quantify the production reduction or provide a revised annual output forecast or cost estimate. The company said contingency plans prioritize safety and environmental management during the labour action.
The update confirms an operating disruption after Teck disclosed strike notice on Oct. 21, when it said operations were continuing. Its next scheduled earnings release is Oct. 29, although Saturday's statement set no date for a further strike update.
Teck did not specify which mining or processing activities remain in service at reduced capacity.
"The impact on overall production will depend on the duration of the labour action," Teck said in its release.
The collective agreement expired Sept. 30, according to Teck's Oct. 21 release. That notice said the union could begin strike action at 8 a.m. PDT on Oct. 24 at the earliest; Saturday's update confirmed the action had commenced.
The union said on Oct. 21 that it represents approximately 1,200 workers at Highland Valley Copper. All 944 members who participated in its strike mandate vote supported strike action, it said.
USW said negotiations ended on Oct. 20 without an agreement after a revised company monetary offer fell short of members' expectations. The union said Teck had withdrawn one concession, while other concession demands remained.
The union's proposals sought to address staffing shortages, improve wages and strengthen pensions. It said attracting and retaining skilled trades workers was a concern, while Teck's Saturday statement said it sought an agreement that was fair to employees and supported the operation's ongoing viability.
Teck is a Vancouver-based copper and zinc producer with operations across North and South America. Highland Valley produces copper and molybdenum concentrates near Logan Lake in south-central B.C. Teck says the concentrates are exported overseas, with most sold to smelters under long-term contracts; its operating-results table records copper sales of 126,000 tonnes in 2025.
Teck says construction is advancing on a mine-life extension at Highland Valley, using an extension of existing site infrastructure to continue operating.
Read more: BHP Group copper output falls 19 per cent in September quarter
Teck will report third-quarter results before markets open on Oct. 29, with a webcast at 11 a.m. EDT.
