10 November, 2009IMF affiliates take action outside a Deutsche Bank metals conference where executives representing global mining giant Vale S.A. were presenting.
UK: Some 20 members of Unite the Union and the United Steelworkers (USW) in Canada took picket action outside a Deutsche Bank meeting where Vale executives were making a presentation to current and potential investors.
The protest is one of many global actions organized with the support of the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), CUT Brazil and the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) to protest Vale's failure to negotiate with 3,500 Canadian miners on strike as well as improve conditions and basic labour rights at the company's Brazilian operations.
In 2008, Vale made over US $13 billion in profits and paid its top execs $33 million. Still, the company wants to impose drastic cuts to pensions and other benefits of the Canadian miners and refuse workers in Brazil a living wage, basic rights and minimal health and safety standards.
Unite Joint General Secretary, Derek Simpson said, "Vale Inco is a greedy multinational backed by Wall Street cash. Their mining operation in Canada is hugely profitable, yet they are putting the squeeze on our brothers and sisters in Workers Uniting to satisfy the insatiable appetite of the financial institutions that gave us the credit crunch.
"The message we are here to deliver to would be investors is that Vale Inco isn't only fighting their workforce they are fighting the global union too."
USW International President Leo W. Gerard: "Mining natural resources has been a profitable enterprise for generations in Sudbury, Canada for both the company and the workers. For a multinational company to now attempt to slash living standards while enjoying sky-rocketing profits is totally unacceptable.
"Workers in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States and around the world understand this, and the workers' solidarity and actions send a powerful message."
For more information see the IMF campaign for Justice at Vale: www.imfmetal.org/Vale