Cominco Ltds 3200 unionized workers at its Trail and Kimberley British Columbia lead-zinc operations voted 94 pct in favor of authorizing a possible strike the union said in reply to an inquiry. Their two-year contracts expire on April 30. A spokesman for the United Steelworkers of America which represents the workers reiterated that private mediation talks are set for Monday and that no strike date had been set. The union has said it is asking for a three pct wage hike in each year of a proposed two-year contract while Cominco has offered a 40 ct an hour increase in the third year of a proposed contract if workers agree to loosen rules on job classifications. The average unionized workers wage is now about 14.78 dlrs an hour. Comincos Trail operations produced 240000 long tons of zinc and 110000 long tons of lead in 1986. The Sullivan mine at Kimberley produced 2.2 mln long tons of ore last year most for processing at the Trail smelter.
COMINCO <CLT> B.C. WORKERS AUTHORIZE STRIKE