BHP Billiton reached a tentative collective agreement with the 375 striking Ekati employees represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), according to a press release. The agreement, reached with the assistance of the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) on June 21, 2006, includes annual salary increases, additional paid personal leave days based on length of service, a retention bonus and a return to work bonus and continued enhanced incentive pay. %% It also assures the right for current bargaining unit employees to choose to either remain in or withdraw from the union and calls for the mutual withdrawal of specified CIRB and court proceedings. The parties agreed to zero tolerance of harassment of any employee who engaged in lawful strike activity. The CIRB ordered the union not to take or allow any member to engage in reprisals of any kind, including fines, against any employee who lawfully remained at or returned to work. %% “The agreement shows mutual respect for all employees at Ekati and the tough choices each had to make during the labour dispute,” said Ekati vice-president operations Richard Morland. “We look forward to everybody getting back to work and putting the strike behind us,” he added. The details of the tentative agreement and process and timeline for the ratification vote will be announced shortly, the company said. The two sides also acknowledged the need to complete a return to work protocol as soon as the agreement is ratified.