Dear Premier Moe and Ms. Beck:
Last week, United Steelworkers (USW) from across Saskatchewan met with elected representatives from both the Government and the Official Opposition to lobby on matters of importance to our members. We talked about the need for the government to make life more affordable, to invest in our schools and hospitals, to encourage mental health initiatives in the workplace and to support Saskatchewan workers, jobs and industries. One of the specific issues we discussed was the layoff of more than 600 members employed at the Evraz Regina Steel Plant. We were promoting the high-quality product we make and looking for political support at a time when a workforce of 600 on the facility’s tubular line are now down to only 30 and 160 workers at the Wasco division have also been thrown out of work.
This plant should be a good news story for Saskatchewan. It annually generates more than $100 million in payroll and contributes more than $30 million in direct taxes to all levels of government. Despite these contributions, many public infrastructure projects are being constructed without local materials – particularly steel. When our members are putting their hard-earned wages into taxes that support the province, shouldn’t they be able to expect that their government would do the same? We’re asking the Government of Saskatchewan and its Crown Corporations to lead by example and prioritize the use of locally made steel.
More specifically, we are asking you to invite Crown Corporations like SaskTel, SaskPower and SaskEnergy to meet with us to discuss their procurement strategies and how we can increase the use of materials manufactured directly in Saskatchewan. We know that demand for low-carbon emission steel will only grow. With your support, we can ensure that this opportunity is secured for Saskatchewan and that we are further promoting our goods within Canada and around the world.
My staff and I are able to meet at your earliest convenience to discuss this in greater detail. Further, we are prepared to meet directly with any government agency or Crown Corporation officials to advance this effort and secure good, high-paying jobs in the province of Saskatchewan.
Sincerely,
Scott Lunny
Director
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