27 July, 2009
The United Steelworkers (USW) is on strike in Canada against global mining giant Vale, as reported in InBrief 135. The ICEM is coordinating global union solidarity among its affiliates for these striking miners and is asking its mining affiliates around the world to demonstrate solidarity. A letter was sent this morning from ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, urging “We have an historic opportunity in an expanding campaign to confront a global corporation with global trade union power”.
More than 3,000 Steelworkers in Greater Sudbury and Port Colborne took industrial action on 13 July; strikers are now digging in as the strike enters its third week.
The local/branch of the USW has established a website in which the major issues in the strike can be viewed -- http://www.fairdealnow.ca.
Vale is the second largest mining company in the world. In the last five years, Vale has made enormous profits, with $13.2 billion (USD) net profit in 2008 alone. According to the company’s own figures, each Vale employee produced $221,223 of 2008 net profits. Unfortunately, Vale has shared little of that profit with its miners. In contrast, it has paid six top executives $33 million in compensation in 2008 alone and had their pay increased more than 120% from 2006 to 2008.
Local 6500 President John Fera
ICEM affiliates in Africa are supporting the USW struggle, and in doing so, are increasing the pressure on Vale leadership to halt their mistreatment of their mineworkers in Canada. This is because Vale plans large expansion in the African continent and their reputation there will necessary for this. Creating a two-tiered pension plan, slashing the nickel bonus and seriously damaging seniority rights, is not acceptable behaviour from the Vale management.
CUT Brazil and the United Steelworkers signed what they call a "strategic partnership", last week, to support workers in their negotiations with the Brazilian multinational Vale, in both Canada and Brazil. "The Brazilian workers organized in the Vale Union Network, part of nearly 150,000 Vale employees in 35 countries on five continents, are extremely concerned about the fate of the negotiations in Canada, since the outcome could have an immediate impact in the renewal of the collective agreement in Brazil," the CUT statement said.
As Vale Inco spokesman Cory McPhee blamed the current economic downturn for the extensive concessions for workers, including heavy cuts to pensions, and to production bonuses, Local 6500 vice-president Rick Bertrand pointed out that Vale Inco has made $4.2 billion in Sudbury since it purchased Inco, late 2006. The ICEM campaign will continue protesting against mining companies, who attempt to take unfair advantage of the current economic crisis. Workers should not pay for the crisis they did not create.