Vale in Talks with Striking Sudbury Union -Report

RTORONTO, May 5 -- Brazilian miner Vale (VALE5.SA: Quote) has resumed talks with union leaders in the hope of resolving a nearly 10-month strike at its Sudbury mining operations in Canada, a media report said on Tuesday.

Vale spokesman Cory McPhee would not confirm that talks had resumed, but also did not dispute the accuracy of the report.

According to the Sudbury Star newspaper, the two sides resumed talks on April 26 with a mediator, and were continuing to meet on Tuesday.

The United Steelworkers union, which represents the striking workers, was not immediately available for comment.

Around 3,100 workers walked off the job at Vale's operations in Sudbury, Ontario, and Port Colborne, Ontario, on July 13.

The two sides had a few meetings in late February and early March, but made little progress. The key areas of dispute have been pensions, a worker bonus tied to the price of nickel, and contract language.

Vale has resumed some Sudbury operations using management and office staff, and outside contract workers.

A separate but parallel strike at Vale's Voisey's Bay nickel mine in the eastern province of Newfoundland and Labrador has been going on since last August.