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Unions working together include dozens of labour organizations from Australia, Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Mozambique, New Caledonia, Peru, Sweden, South Africa, Zambia, among others.
Sudbury (25 March 2010) - Dozens of international union leaders joined with the United Steelworkers (USW) in Sudbury this week to announce a Global Week of Action next month in response to Vale Inco's aggressive, destructive tactics against Canadian workers and communities.
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James Clancy, president of NUPGE, and Warren (Smokey) Thomas, president OPSEU/NUPGE, with OPSEU activists |
James Clancy, national president of the 340,000 member National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), attended a meeting in Sudbury and joined a contingent of members from the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE) on the march.
"I want to thank the OPSEU organizers and activists who worked so hard to make the rally a success," said Clancy.
"The workers of Vale Inco are engaged in a historic struggle with a highly profitable multi-national corporation that refuses to recognize the important role that they play in both the company and the economic life of the city of Sudbury and the surrounding region."
Following the meeting in Sudbury, labour leaders representing Vale workers around the world released the following statement:
"We continue to stand in solidarity with striking Canadian workers, their families, and communities in Port Colborne, Sudbury, and Voisey's Bay. We congratulate the members of the United Steelworkers for their heroic resistance against Vale's attempt to impose its corporate will, and your determination to stand up for the rights of individual workers. We stand united against Vale's aggressive and provocative anti-union tactics. Tito Martins' surprising accusations of racism and xenophobia against the USW shows again a profound misunderstanding of Canada, Canadian culture, the Steelworkers Union and the solidarity of working people across the globe."
During the Global Week of Action unions representing Vale workers in different countries will undertake solidarity actions designed to show Vale that workers stand united. Actions will take different forms depending on the culture and traditions of communities and unions, but they will all bring the same message 'Justice at Vale.'
"Together we again call on Vale to return to the bargaining table and to negotiate a fair deal for workers in Canada. We remind governments of their responsibility to ensure that any nation's national resources must be developed for the benefit of their citizens and communities," the statement said.
"In order to build support for Vale strikers in Canada and Vale workers across the world, we have decided to promote a Global Week of Action against Vale the week of April 5 to 11, 2010."
Unions working together include dozens of labour organizations from Australia, Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Mozambique, New Caledonia, Peru, Sweden, South Africa, Zambia, among others, as well as the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE
More information:
• Vale Inco solidarity rally March 22 in Sudbury
• Sudbury health care workers back Vale Inco strikers
• OPSEU backs Vale Inco workers in Sudbury