The union representing Vale employees in Sudbury is reeling after the mining giant cut 21 members from its workforce, part of an ongoing strategy to shore up its operations during an industry downturn.

For months, Vale has made it clear that this day could come and at a community event last month, there was a hint.

"These are tough times are we do need to make some difficult decisions," said Angie Robson, Vale corporate affairs, during an interview back in September.

However, it seems closing a century-old mine, one of two smelting furnaces and a crushing plant weren't enough.

The company, which employs 4,000 people in Sudbury, is cutting 21 more people.

For the union representing those workers, it's a tough pill to swallow.

"Well, the mood's not very good obviously for the 21 that were laid off," said Rick Bertrand, United Steelworkers Local 6500 president.

"It's a shock to them. I mean, as much as people talk about it, as much as that there's been rumours about it, when the axe does fall and you are told that you don't longer have a job that becomes very difficult."

Bertrand said although the union had been bracing for layoffs, there's room in their collective agreement to fight for these jobs.

"We have many, many contract workers on the property doing work that we can do, and its core work, that's what we feel, and we're going to take this to arbitration," he said.

Vale said originally, 280 employees were identified as surplus, but it was able to whittle that number down significantly.

"However, through the displacement of contractors, natural attrition, offer of a retirement incentive and deployment of underground miners to the Copper Cliff Mine Project, we were able to reduce this number significantly," reads a statement from the company.

“We acknowledge the impact this has on affected employees and their families. As we move forward, we will continue to operate on the principle of minimizing impacts. On our workforce as best we can as we make necessary operational decisions in the best long-term interests of our company, our employees and the community.”

The union said it's not aware of any further workforce reductions on the horizon, but said it will remain wary in this time of deep uncertainty and anxiety in one of the region's most critical industries.