Key facts
- USW members at Vale Base Metals refinery in Port Colborne ratified a new contract.
- The contract includes major wage increases.
- Retiree health-care benefits have been restored.
- The agreement was ratified on June 5, 2026.
United Steelworkers (USW) union members working at the Vale Base Metals refinery in Port Colborne, Ontario, have ratified a new contract. The agreement, finalized on June 5, 2026, includes significant wage increases for the workers. A key aspect of the new contract is the restoration of retiree health-care benefits, which were previously a point of contention. The ratification by the union members marks a resolution to contract negotiations between the union and the company. Separately, Marty Warren, USW National Director, released a statement on June 5, 2026, in response to the Government of Canada's announcement regarding Tariff Rate Quotas on steel imports, stating that further action is needed to protect steel sector jobs.