CONTRECOEUR, Que. – Some 300 workers at ArcelorMittal’s Contrecoeur-Ouest steel plant are on strike to back up demands for real wage increases needed to reverse years of lost purchasing power.
The workers, members of Local 6951 of the Syndicat des Métallos/United Steelworkers union, began their strike Aug. 1 following several months of negotiations, during which the company failed to address key issues, particularly the need to recover lost ground on wages.
“Our members have made it clear that wages have fallen much too far behind inflation, and they’re demanding compensation that makes up for lost ground,” said Éric Piette, president of Steelworkers Local 6951.
Union members voted 97.2% in favor of a general strike mandate on July 27. Three days later, on July 30, the workers voted by a 90% majority to reject a contract offer by ArcelorMittal, setting the stage for the strike to begin on Monday as the previous collective agreement expired.
“Our members know that this plant is doing well and that the successful shift of its production and its ability to thrive in a difficult trade environment are due to the workers’ strong collaboration and high productivity. So they simply want their work to be recognized at its true value,” said Yves Rolland, a Steelworkers union representative overseeing steel-sector issues in
Quebec.
The 300 Steelworkers at the ArcelorMittal Contrecoeur-Ouest facility produce rebar, billets and steel rods.
The Syndicat des Métallos/United Steelworkers, affiliated with the Quebec Federation of labour, is the largest private-sector union in Quebec, representing more than 60,000 workers across all economic sectors.
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