United Steel Workers Local 9074 President Paul Lussier, who represents Supreme Steel employees, has been through several plant closures at other companies, and says he’s never seen a severance offer this disrespectful.
Steelworkers
Dan Comeczko is a sawmill worker on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and one of the many workers on strike against Western Forest Products. The strike is being organized by United Steel Worker’s Local 1-1937, made up of many former locals from the now dissolved International Woodworkers of America. Comeczko agreed to be interviewed with James Continue readingVan Island sawmill worker talks strike & concessions
James Chumsa reports from the picket lines on Vancouver Island about the forestry workers’ strike against concessions demanded by Western Forest Products.
By Elizabeth Rowley After the 7th round of bargaining on NAFTA concluded March 5 with agreement on just 6 of 30 chapters, it comes as no surprise that US President Trump has upped the ante with threats of 25% tariffs on Canadian steel and 10% on aluminum. Trump thinks this will force Canada to agree Continue readingTrump’s tariffs show we should ditch NAFTA
By Evan Johnston The arrival of Max Aicher North America (MANA) in Hamilton was supposed to be a success story, ushering in a new era of advanced steel manufacturing in a beleaguered steel city eager for good news. Public money was thrown its way by both the province and the city as politicians saw their Continue readingThe MANA lockout in Hamilton
By Matt Corbeil Elliot Lake is a city with a history. Home to one of the world’s largest deposits of uranium, the city grew in tandem with the US military’s nuclear weapons stockpile. But if the purpose of the stockpile was to keep the “free world” safe from the threat of global communism, little thought Continue readingThe McIntyre Powder Project: An interview with Janice Martell
By Peter Olney For many private sector employers, the lockout has become the offensive weapon of choice. Last year’s second-biggest private sector work stoppage, for instance, wasn’t a strike. It was the lockout of 2,200 United Steelworkers members at Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI). Lockouts are forced by employers, not called by unions. Too often unions Continue readingFor unions, sometimes a lockout is better than a strike
By David Bush Thousands of steelworkers, community members, and union allies from across the province rallied outside of Hamilton’s city hall on Jan. 30. The demonstration was called to show support for the workers at U.S. Steel who have weathered major job losses and are now facing the loss of their benefits and pensions. U.S. Continue readingHarper lives: The U.S. Steel robbery
A rank and file perspective on negotiations and union representation at CN By Andy @ CN As the membership of USW Local 2004 whimper over the ratification of Canadian National Railway’s (CN) offer, it has become abundantly clear that our USW leadership has completely missed the mark with negotiations. First, one has to ask, “Why, Continue readingCN Rail: Ratification Divided
A second day of #BottlesNotCans info pickets hit Beer Stores and LCBO’s across Ontario this Saturday. Customers at both stores were encouraged to buy bottles, not cans, in support of 124 Steelworkers on strike for 17 months at Crown Holdings against concessions like a 42% pay cut for new hires. The factory is producing beer Continue reading#BottlesNotCans The Sequel: Photo round-up
Two temporary foreign workers who exposed employer abuses of the TFW Program are now facing deportation. With the help of USW Local 9346, the workers at a Fernie, B.C., Tim Horton’s launched an RCMP and Employment Standards Branch investigation into their former employer, Pierre Pelletier, back in 2013. The franchise owner was accused by employees of wage Continue readingUSW Local 9346: Solidarity with TFWs in British Columbia
By David Bush and Gerard Di Trolio This past Saturday, the USW organized a province wide day of action in support of the 124 striking workers at Crown Holdings’ factory in Toronto, who are represented by USW Local 9176. The workers, who have been on strike for 15 months, make beer cans for Crown Holdings, Continue readingKicking the can across Ontario