To the Membership,
It’s been a very busy and successful week. First off, we want to thank everyone that attend the meetings in Logan Lake, and the membership meetings. It incredible to see the outpouring of support and solidarity. It shows that we truly are stronger, together. We heard it loud and clear from the membership. No Concessions. Not one of us is willing to give up the language we had to fight to get. Not now, and especially when the Company is making massive profits off our broken backs. Don himself said “We need 30 Highland Valley Coppers to keep up with demands.” The Company has agreed to get back to the table. We had requested to continue negotiations on May 17th. Although it took the Company 4 weeks to reply, we have now set a date for June 28th. Corrinne Bell has agreed to act as a mediator between the parties. In the meantime we have been working diligently to protect our contract language and prepare for upcoming arbitrations and bargaining. Just as a bit of info, the Union had done a lot of research and work prior to going to the Ministry with the back injury complaint. We could only find 24 back injury reports that were given to the Union, out of the 77 that were given to the Ministry upon their request to the Company. We have been extremely concerned over the safety of our members for a long period of time, and made continued complaints with no response. Contrary to the company’s comment in the media, to date, we have had NO conversations about the action plans as requested by the Ministry with the Company. They have said that the report is flawed, are looking for a second opinion, and that the report was only a recommendation. Our Health and Safety chair said that over his 28 year career working at the mine, he has never seen such a rash of back injury’s like this. The lack luster approach to the issue is extremely concerning to the Union. What happened to “Everyone Going Home Safe and Healthy Every Day”? As bargaining continues we thank you for your full support and unwavering solidarity. It’s become very apparent that we are getting under their skin, with some supervisors attempting to beat bargaining flags of the top of trucks with shovels, and others throwing their hands in the air in frustration with their co-managers, and voicing their support for the Union. We are all ready for a fair deal and to protect what is ours, and will fight for our rights and security as the Company continues their feeble attempt to strip it all away. We are not stupid, we see plainly through the deceit and the façade that they have portrayed to convince us to feed their corporate greed by skinning it off our backs. In the words of Thomas Donahue, “The only effective answer to organized greed is organized labor.” They have underestimated our power. Things are heating up and the upcoming days are going to be a true showing of our strength. Our strength is in our numbers, our solidarity, our knowledge, our respect and our willingness to fight for our future and our past. We will win this fight! STAY STRONG! - STAY INFORMED! - STAY INVOLVED! - STAY HARD! NO CONCESSIONS! In Solidarity, United Steel Workers Local 7619 Bargaining Committee “To be free, the workers must have choice. To have choice they must retain in their own hands the right to determine under what conditions they will work.” --- SAMUEL GOMPERS Comments are closed.
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August 2021
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