29 July, 2009IMF calls on affiliates to send letters of solidarity to striking Steelworkers at Vale Inco in Canada.
CANADA: More than 5,000 members of the United Steelworkers went on strike on July 13 in defense of theirs jobs and conditions achieved over 20 years at Vale Inco, the Canadian operations of Brazilian multinational Vale.
The workers went on strike after the company would only accept to renew the collective agreement if the workers represented by USW agreed to a drastic reduction in conditions and increased job insecurity. Despite having made US$13.2 billion profit last year, and currently with US$22 billion in cash assets on hand, Vale's final offer insisted on creating a two-tiered pension plan, slashing the nickel bonus and seriously damaging seniority rights.
The members belonging to USW locals in Sudbury, Port Colborne and Voisey's Bay have created a campaign website at www.FairDealNOW.ca where details and updates about the dispute are available. In a letter to the community published on their website the striking USW members write, "Vale, the new owner who currently is a massively profitable multinational from Brazil, has chosen to use the current economic conditions as simply an excuse to extract deep long-term cuts with little regard for maintaining the family incomes that sustain our communities."
The IMF, affiliates CNM-CUT and USW, and other unions present in Vale are continuing to work together in support of the striking USW members and urge you to also show solidarity by sending letters of support to the workers in Canada. A copy of a template letter is published on the IMF website.
Send letters to:
- USW Local 6500 (Sudbury)
- USW Local 6200 (Port Colborne)
- USW Local 9508 (Voisey's Bay)
By email to: [email protected] or [email protected]
or
By fax to: +1 416 487 8479
Please send copies to IMF at: [email protected]
Or by fax to: +41 22 308 5055