Management at the ABI aluminum smelter in Becancour, Que., is agreeing to restart negotiations with locked-out employees.
Quebec Labour Minister Dominique Vien says talks will resume after meeting representatives from both sides at her Quebec City office.
She is calling on the union and management to send representatives to the negotiating table with mandates to reach a deal.
The union representing 1,030 locked-out workers says they have always been willing to continue negotiating.
ABI management says they had a good meeting with the minister and will release a statement later today.
The ABI smelter is 75 per cent owned by Pittsburgh-based Alcoa Corp. and 25 per cent by Montreal-headquartered Rio Tinto Alcan Inc.
Workers have been locked out since Jan. 11.