It is not hard to be concerned that Vale’s attack on its unionized employees will be followed up by an assault on retirees. By studying Vale and its current methods, there is no reason to think that Vale will not attempt to rape the retirement funds next. The easiest way for them to do this will be to remove or at least degrade the local union, which is the only watch dog to see that the obligations to our retirement funds are secure.
I would be very concerned that this group will find a way to take vacations from funding their obligations to our pensions and to attack the benefit package that we all assumed would be protected in our latter years. Do you trust our pensions to a company that lays off 17-year employees and moves their jobs to Brazil; a company that hires a security agency to follow people around taking pictures and recording their conversations; a company that brings in scab labour to run its plants?
Their idea of oversight seems to be: “here is what we are doing and if you don’t like it, drop dead.”
(Mike Sopko and Jim Ashcroft) were tough, right-wing company people who were difficult to deal with, but . . . at least they met you at the bargaining table.
He was out of the country when the scab legislation hit the floor. To me, Rick is probably the most disappointing figure in Ontario politics since Mike Harris. He did look pretty good dancing in the legislature when they passed the harmonized sales tax. We will see what tune he dances to in two years.
(I believe) the Brazilians — masquerading as businessmen — are out to destroy the fabric of Sudbury’s history in the mining industry, and will leave in its wake a destitute resource. While past Inco management protected the ore reserves by mixing high- and low-grade ore from all of the mine sites, these money guys will, in my opinion, go after high-grade sources, maximizing profits in the short term, while destroying Sudbury’s future in the long term.
I predict that only the high-grade mines will operate, that we could see an operation without a refinery, and if SO2 emissions become a problem, then the concentrate from the mills will be shipped to the highest bidder and the smelter will be shut down. It will be a company run by contractors, pack-sack miners, and temporary employees. It will be a company hell-bent on short-term profits, while robbing our children of a future that includes a vibrant nickel industry.
Those who condemn the union and support Vale’s position better get ready for fewer employees with money to shop in your stores. An unstructured, volatile workforce with unsure futures. These imported scabs, along with our home-grown ones, will pit Sudburian against Sudburian, a plan I am sure Vale hopes will work to their favour. This will equate to a higher accident rate, a higher traumatic injury rate and a higher accidental death rate, along with more crime on our streets. If you think that things will return to normal when this strike is over, you are wrong.
I believe in free enterprise. I believe in free collective bargaining. But there is nothing free about this. This is not a strike and is not a lock out. Both would infer a bargaining process and it is obvious there is none. This is an assault on our resources and our social structure. One hundred years of company and labour restructuring are being flushed down the toilet.
I doubt Vale’s agenda will ever change. Our only hope is that the 6500 membership stays strong, and that we place into power an MPP who will stand up for Sudbury. A minority voice speaking is better than a majority voice that says nothing. In the short term, let both levels of government know you are not happy.
Last but not least, don’t worry about the smoke coming out of the stack. The millions of dollars for Vale security, the overtime cost for staff working the plants, the three- and four-times cost for scabs and contractors to perform the work regular employees do, and the expense of this strike, will drive the cost per pound so high their accountants will go nuts. They will need well over the going rate to break even.
Things will start to break down and the cost of repair will skyrocket. Every pound produced will be sold at a loss and the money will be handed over to the security guards, the scabs, and the contractors.
When Jose Blanco, a past Inco vice president, oversaw the rebuilding of the smelter, he made it very clear the place is built to run flat-out. Curtailing production drives up costs and does not make good business sense.
These views and opinions are mine and, as a Vale retiree, and a past president of Local 6500, I felt I should voice my concern. Mike Sopko, Jim Ashcroft and the many mining type people are gone. They were tough, right-wing company people who were difficult to deal with, but at least you could deal with them and at least they met you at the bargaining table. We fought to get a deal, not to destroy the workplace that provided security and employment for all, regardless of what side of the table you sat on.
Vale says they can’t run under the current structure. The answer is simple: give it up to someone who can, such as a Canadian company, listed on the TSX. Put it up for sale and go back to Brazil.
Dave Campbell is a Vale Inco retiree and Local 6500 past president.
