Delegations and worker-to-worker exchanges organized by the SHF serve a wide range of purposes but truly come down to building solidarity among union activists. Through those opportunities, Steelworkers often find that they have a lot in common with their brothers and sisters sometimes halfway across the world – a feeling that was perfectly conveyed during the 2024 District 5 Annual Assembly.
In May 2024, a SHF delegation visited Fort-Dauphin, located on the southern tip of the African island of Madagascar, as part of our ongoing efforts to bridge the physical distance between trade unionists on both ends of the supply chain who share the same employer, in this case mining giant Rio Tinto. Since 2019, the SHF has been supporting a capacity-building project with union partners including SEKRIMA, led by its General Secretary Anthony Randrianandrasana, representing workers at Rio Tinto’s mine in Madagascar.
When Anthony was invited to attend the Annual assembly in Jonquière, Québec, the SHF took advantage of the opportunity to organize site visits in the province. Replicating the long journey of the ilmenite ore mined in Madagascar to the company’s processing plant in Sorel, he met with members of USW local union 7493 for a guided tour followed by strategic planning meetings. After this productive first stop, Anthony visited two more plants owned fully or in part by Rio Tinto in Bécancour and Alma, exchanging experiences with fellow union activists from LU 9700 and 9490.
During the assembly, participants from the May delegation presented the incredible work supported by the SHF in Madagascar to the assembly, culminating with Anthony’s inspired address. The standing ovation that followed his inspiring description of his fellow Malagasy trade unionists’ courage in this struggle of David against Goliath left no doubt to the more than 500 Steelworkers present about the importance of global solidarity, now more than ever.
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