Voisey's Bay Strikers Welcome Provincial Intervention

Premier Williams rightfully recognizes dispute has gone unresolved too long

HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY, NL, Oct. 14 /CNW/ - Workers embroiled in a 14½-month strike against foreign mining giant Vale remain committed to negotiating a settlement, the United Steelworkers (USW) union says.

However, given Brazil-based Vale's anti-labour practices, the striking Voisey's Bay workers and their families welcome the prospect of intervention proposed by Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams.

Premier Williams announced last week his government would launch an industrial inquiry to resolve the dispute if a settlement was not negotiated within two weeks.

"We appreciate the concern demonstrated by Premier Williams, who rightfully recognizes that this dispute has gone unresolved for too long," says Wayne Fraser, the USW's director for the Atlantic provinces and Ontario.

"Our preference always is for freely negotiated collective agreements between workers and employers. Such a resolution has eluded us for the last 15 months due to a foreign corporation's unprecedented disregard for Canadian labour relations traditions and contempt for Canadian working families," Fraser says.

"The last 15 months have been extremely difficult for our members and our families," says Darren Cove, President of USW Local 9508 which represents the striking Voisey's Bay workers. "Yet Vale continually insults our members and tries to shift blame and responsibility for its antagonistic behaviour.

"In reality, this strike is about fairness, respect and dignity for Newfoundland and Labrador working families. We believe Vale workers in our province deserve equality with Vale employees elsewhere in Canada," Cove says.

"Vale has earned billions from the work of its Canadian employees and our natural resources and it stands to earn billions more in coming years from exploiting the non-renewable resources belonging to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Yet Vale would have us believe it can't afford to offer Newfoundland and Labrador workers, including our many aboriginal members, the same deal it just negotiated with our colleagues in Ontario."

"We look forward to either a fair settlement offer from Vale, or working with our government to ensure Newfoundland and Labrador families and communities receive the same benefit as our counterparts in Ontario," Cove says.

For further information:

Wayne Fraser, USW District 6 Director, 416-243-8792, 416-577-4045;/ Boyd Bussey, USW Staff Representative, 709-753-0864, 709-727-8632.