TORONTO – Leaders from the United Steelworkers (USW) representing workers at Vale Inc. mines across Canada met for over two days this week to develop joint strategies for collective bargaining, improving ongoing health and safety, and building global solidarity.
The meeting in Toronto pulled together USW leadership from across Canada, in advance of a new round of bargaining planned over the next few years. USW Locals 2020 (Sudbury), 6166 (Thompson), 6200 (Port Colborne), 6500 (Sudbury) and 9508 (Voisey’s Bay) joined District 6 Director Marty Warren and District 3 Director Stephen Hunt to develop a plan of solidarity for all USW Locals in the Vale chain.
While Local Unions respect one another’s autonomy, Vale is a global employer and the United Steelworkers understands that our strength on behalf of our members grows when we work together. The Local Unions already share strategies in health and safety and will be working towards expanding into all areas.
At site after site all USW leaders and members will work together to ensure that wages, benefits and working conditions continue to be enhanced and protected. Standing united is how we developed decent family-supporting wages and how we will maintain that progress. The Local Unions are committed to developing a shared collective bargaining strategy with support and resources from USW District and National Offices.
The Steelworkers also noted they will continue to build global alliances through organizations like IndustriALL and ongoing outreach to unions around the world that represent workers at Vale. All miners must continue to work together in an effort to improve working conditions around the globe. Our members know that solidarity is a powerful tool, regardless of geography.
Marty Warren, USW District 6 Director, mwarren@usw.ca, 416-243-8792
Stephen Hunt, USW District 3 Director, shunt@usw.ca, 604-816-2554
Rick Bertrand, USW Local 6500 President, rbertrand@uswsudbury.ca, 705-521-3412
Darren Cove, USW Local 9508 President, dmcove@hotmail.com, 709-897-7158
Les Ellsworth, USW Local 6166 President, lellsworth@uswlu6166.mb.ca 204-679-0071
Dan Serre, USW Local 2020 President, Serredaniel1@gmail.com, 705-690-2767
Sean Sparkes, USW Local 6200 President, ssparkes2@cogeco.ca, 905-289-6833
Bob Gallagher, USW Communications, bgallagher@usw.ca, 416-434-2221
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