One main issue in Steelworkers strike at IOC in Labrador West

Picket line near railway yard in Labrador West - Photo by Mike Power

The president of the Steelworkers local 5795 says there is one main issue that caused members to go out on strike early Tuesday Morning.

“That issue is the temporary workforce, a concession the union is not willing to accept,” President Ron Thomas told the Aurora.

Ron Thomas, president of local 5795 of the Steelworkers Union outside the union hall in Labrador City.

He said the company had been asking for other concessions and they are all gone, all except the temporary workforce and the union won’t support “people working side by side with a two tiered system.”

“We only want what we consider a fair deal for all workers,” said Thomas. “We helped out when things were more difficult, but times are better now, and we won’t accept a temporary workforce.”

The Iron ore company of Canada says it is disappointed in the outcome.

In a prepared statement the company said, “We believe our offer was competitive and included improvements for employees across a range of areas from increased pay and pension contributions to health benefits and the use of temporary workers.”

Thomas says almost 92 per cent of workers rejected the company’s final offer.

According to Tony Reccord, president of local 6731, the IOC warehouse local, his union of thirty members voted 93 per cent against the company’s final offer.

“The company had four major concessions for local 6371, but a temporary work force agreement wasn’t one of them,” he said.

Reccord said the final offer to his union local had all concessions removed and modest gains in some areas, but because they sat at the table with local 5795 they will not turn our backs on them.

“The concessions to us were removed because we bargaining with local 5795. The temporary workforce agreement creates a two tiered workforce and we are against that,” he said. “Two of the cornerstones of the Steelworkers Union are equality and solidarity, and I think the company underestimated these beliefs when they presented out final offer to us.”

Reccord says he has never been prouder of his membership for the solidarity they have shown.