SOREL-TRACY, Que. – Rio Tinto Fer et Titane has been caught red-handed using replacement workers during a strike at the Poudres Métalliques metallurgical complex in Sorel-Tracy, which is prohibited under Quebec labour law.
A report stemming from an investigation by the Ministry of Labour states that Rio Tinto Fer et Titane employed 21 people to perform work normally carried out by unionized workers who are currently on strike. Quebec labour law stipulates that, during a labour dispute, only managers who were hired before the beginning of contract negotiations are allowed to perform tasks normally performed by unionized workers.
The 21 individuals identified by the Ministry of Labour investigation were found to be either managers hired after the beginning of negotiations, employees from another plant, or employees who were not managers.
“This file is now in the hands of our lawyers and we will ask the court to intervene urgently to enforce the Labour Code and restore the balance of power,” said Yves Rolland, staff representative with the Syndicat des Métallos/United Steelworkers union, which represents the striking workers.
“Rio Tinto Fer et Titane must stop circumventing the law and return to the bargaining table to negotiate a fair agreement for our members,” Rolland said.
The 181 striking workers at the Rio Tinto plant, members of Steelworkers Local 7493, have been on the picket line since July 10. Years of lost ground on wages is the key issue in the labour dispute. There have been no negotiations over the last two months.
“This (labour ministry) report confirms our suspicions,” said Local 7493 President Patrick Sarrazin.
“The employer has been acting in bad faith since the beginning of the negotiations, and our previous collective agreement expired more than 15 months ago. The use of scabs is illegal and must stop immediately. This plant will start operating again when the employer shows that it respects its workers and negotiates a good agreement,” Sarrazin said.
An application will be filed soon, calling on the government to immediately stop the illegal use of replacement workers, the union says. Meanwhile, the mediator appointed to oversee the negotiations has called the parties to a meeting early next week.
The Syndicat des Métallos/United Steelworkers, affiliated with the Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ), is the largest private-sector union in Quebec, representing more than 60,000 workers in all sectors of the economy.
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