Locked-out Quebec workers file complaint against Rio Tinto with London Olympic Organizing Committee (LOCOG)

Former Olympian Bruce Kidd gives 'Off The Podium' Campaign new momentum in bid to cancel medals deal

TORONTO, April 26, 2012 /CNW/ - Workers locked out of the Rio Tinto Alcan smelter in Alma, Quebec since last December filed a complaint today calling on the organizers of the London Olympics (LOCOG) to drop the resource firm as an official Games supplier of gold, silver and bronze for athletes' medals.

With operating profits of more than $33B in the past two years (2010/11), Rio Tinto wants to hire new smelter workers in Alma at 50% of current wage levels and with almost no benefits, as union workers retire. When the 780-strong workforce turned down that concession, the company locked them out and has refused to bring them back for almost four months (since December 31, 2011).

The United Steelworkers union (USW), which represents the workers at both the Alma smelter and the Utah mine where the gold for Olympic medals is being turned out, filed a formal complaint today with the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG).

Signed by Steelworkers National Director Ken Neumann, the complaint asserts that Rio Tinto's actions in Alma violate the Games' ethical procurement standards because they consist of an illegally-declared lockout, serious and significant violations of the workers' health and safety, shirking its obligations by sub-contracting out work to low paid workers, and paying wages and benefits below industry benchmark standards.

Neumann's complaint letter (http://cdn.offthepodium.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/USW-LOCOG-complaint-Rio-Tinto.pdf) goes on to request that LOCOG follow its ethical guidelines to reject Rio Tinto as a supplier.

The workers were joined by former Olympian and honorary Canadian Olympic Committee member Bruce Kidd, professor of Kinesiology and Physical Education at University of Toronto. Kidd said that Rio Tinto, by locking out its workers, "contradicts everything the Olympics stands for." He said that Rio Tinto should not be permitted to benefit by its association with the solidarity and fair play of the world's top amateur athletics event.

Robert Gagnon, a smelter worker and member of Steelworkers Local 9490 in Alma, Quebec, told the news conference: "Rio Tinto is offering wages at a profitable plant that are not even enough to raise a family or support our children to follow their dreams.  The idea that this company should be an Olympic supplier would be laughable if it weren't so sad for our community."

Craig Jones, a third-generation miner from Kennecott, Utah -- where the metal used to produce the Olympic medals is mined - said "as miners, we are proud of the metals we produce, but they are tarnished by the unfair treatment of workers in Quebec and Rio Tinto's practices throughout the world.  This company isn't living up to Olympic ideals of fairness and solidarity, so we want the medals recast using a supplier that does."

The Campaign websites can be found at:
www.offthepodium.org (English)
www.solidaritealma.org (French)

Joe Drexler, USW Strategic Campaigns, [email protected], 416 434 7907
Bob Gallagher, USW Communications, [email protected], 416 434 2221