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Employees cite subcontracting and lack of respect from the employer as key points within the dispute
KATINNIQ/MONTREAL, Quebec — The 630 unionized staff on the Glencore-owned Raglan Mine in Nunavik, members of the Syndicat des Métallos/United Steelworkers union, went on strike late Friday evening, Could 27.
A requirement for real respect from Glencore is a serious situation for the union members, who typically work 11-hour shifts, for 21 consecutive days, on the remoted, fly-in/fly-out nickel mining operations in Nunavik. The elevated use of subcontractors, who work below inferior situations at Raglan Mine, is one other key situation within the labour dispute.
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“It has reached the purpose the place there are sometimes many extra contractors on the mine website than unionized staff. It doesn’t make sense. This implies fewer financial advantages for the areas of Quebec, whereas this multinational company extracts enormous earnings by exploiting our pure sources,” stated Eric Savard, president of Steelworkers Native 9449, which represents the putting staff.
Along with the shameful use of subcontractors, different obstacles in negotiations embody holidays, working situations and wages. Above all, nonetheless, staff are demanding respect from Glencore.
“Glencore has been regularly pushing the bounds. It even balks at offering a correct lunch hour to staff who’re working 11 hours a day, 21 days in a row. It’s reached the purpose the place those that refuse to work additional time are given the chilly shoulder by the bosses. Residing situations on the mining camp have deteriorated over time. The employer systematically quibbles over the residing and dealing situations of workers who’re away from their households for lengthy intervals of time. It’s time for this firm to point out larger respect for the employees who’re producing its earnings of tens of thousands and thousands of {dollars} every year,” Savard added.
The events met on Friday within the presence of a mediator, with out breaking the deadlock in negotiations. The union members subsequently determined to train their strike mandate, which that they had permitted final week by an awesome majority vote of 97.5%.
“We’re confronted with an employer who regularly seeks to do as little as attainable to enhance the standard of lifetime of its staff. This employer has even tried to divide the employees and switch them towards one another. However at the moment, union members are united and have chosen to stroll out, collectively. And it’s united that they are going to return to the mining camp once they obtain the respect they deserve from their employer,” stated Steelworkers union consultant Harold Arsenault.
The Syndicat des Métallos/United Steelworkers, affiliated with the Quebec Federation of Labour, is the most important private-sector union in Quebec, representing greater than 60,000 staff in all financial sectors.
View supply model on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/information/residence/20220528005045/en/
Contacts
Clairandrée Cauchy, 514 774-4001, ccauchy@metallos.ca
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