BNamericas reported that union leaders from US coal producer Drummond expect to meet with company representatives to outline agreements for workplace safety and worker guarantees and put an end to a strike.

Mr Orlando Acosta a spokesperson for the national Sintramienergética union told BNamericas that "Employees are at their posts waiting for the company to get on board with these agreements so the stoppage can come to an end.”

The company's unionized employees walked out on March 23rd after a worker was killed in an accident.

Roughly 9,000 directly employed and outsourced workers took part in the stoppage, including workers in transport and the mineral loading areas.

Drummond's employees have halted works twice in the past year including a stoppage in July 2008 when they organized a strike to demand salary negotiations.

(Sourced from BNamericas)