Vale Inco strike enters seventh month

From the International Metalworkers Federation

The United Steelworkers (USW) filed a bad-faith bargaining complaint against Vale Inco, challenging the company's refusal to engage in genuine, good-faith negotiations to end the six-month strike by 3,500 Canadian workers.

USW officials filed the complaint with the Ontario Labour Relations Board in Toronto, marking the strike's six-month anniversary which was honoured in Sudbury on January 13 by a rally and parade.

3500 USW members in Sudbury and Port Colborne, Canada have been on strike since July 13th, 2009 after the company would only accept to renew their collective agreement if workers agreed to a drastic reduction in conditions and increased job insecurity. Despite having made US$13.2 billion profit last year, Vale is insisting on creating a two-tiered pension plan, slashing the nickel bonus and seriously damaging seniority rights, while bringing in replacement workers to continue production. USW members at Voisey's Bay joined the strike on August 1.

"The Ontario Labour Relations Act requires that employers and unions make every reasonable effort to reach a collective agreement," said USW lawyer Brian Shell. "At the minimum that means meeting with a union committed to a full exploration of all issues and together endeavoring to find an acceptable way forward."

"Vale Inco's behavior indicates it is not interested in any meaningful negotiations," said John Fera, President of USW Local 6500 in Sudbury. "It is using its massive wealth to try to bring Canadian workers and our communities to their knees."

The strike has gained massive support worldwide in recent months, thanks in part with the help of affiliates from the International Metalworkers' Federation and the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions. Vale workers from Canada and Brazil have traveled around the globe sharing their experience with fellow miners and metalworkers at Vale operations and investments events as well as steel mills and smelters that purchase Vale products. Unions have been calling on Vale to return to the bargaining table and reach a Fair Deal NOW.

"We believe Vale is trying to destroy its strongest collective bargaining agreement for the purpose of setting a precedent to weaken other collective bargaining agreements throughout the world, a move the IMF and our global affiliates and partner organizations will not accept, and will fight," wrote Jyrki Raina, IMF general secretary in a solidarity message for the occasion.

"Until Vale changes its practices, the IMF will continue to oppose Vale operations and investment through mobilizing IMF affiliates around the world and we will actively encourage companies and governments to stop doing business with Vale until a resolution is reached," Raina added.