Potash Front and Centre at Steelworker Conference

SASKATOON, SK, Nov. 1 /CNW/ - The United Steelworkers (USW) union is holding its Western Canadian conference this week in Saskatoon at the Delta Bessborough Hotel. USW Western Canada Director Stephen Hunt cordially invites members of the media to join over 200 workers from the prairies provinces, BC and the northern territories.

The conference commences on Tuesday, November 2 at 2 pm and proceeds through all-day sessions on November 4 and 5. The conference will be held in the Adam Ballroom of the hotel, which is located at 601 Spadina Crescent East.

Featured speakers joining Hunt include USW International President Leo Gerard, USW Director for Canada Ken Neumann, and Saskatchewan NDP leader Dwain Lingenfelter. All will be addressing the ongoing concerns that workers and the province have about the potential takeover of the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan.

The scheduled time for the above speakers is as follows:

Tuesday November 2 at 3 pm - Stephen Hunt

Wednesday November 3 at 8:30 am - Ken Neumann

Thursday, November 4 at 8:30 am - Leo  Gerard

Thursday, November 4 at 2:00 pm - Dwain Lingenfelter

Also present at the conference will be rank and file members of the USW's Potash Council. The union represents over 1,300 workers employed by PCS, Mosaic and Agrium Inc.

The conference will also feature addresses by NDP Labour Critic Andy Iwanchuk, CLC Director for the Prairie Region David Winter, USW International Vice President-at-Large Carol Landry, and Napoleon Gomez, exiled leader of the National Mine Workers Union of Mexico.

Keith Lancastle, from the Forest Products Sector Council of Canada will also speak at the conference. Over 70 workers who will attend the conference are employed in the forest industry.

On November 1 and until noon on November 2 the USW's Wood Council will hold a conference in the Battleford Room at the same hotel.

USW Wood Council Bob Matters invites members of the media to join delegates from Western Canada and Ontario. Matters will address the conference at 9 am on November 1.

Other featured Wood Council conference speakers are BC Forest Safety Council Chair Reynold Hert; BC MLA Bill Routley; and Jorge Gonzalez, the President of the Chilean National Forest Workers Confederation.

For further information:

Norman Garcia,604-838-3653  
Scott Lunny,604-329-5308