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Fera announces Christmas bonus for strikers

Money keeps rolling in for support of Steelworkers strike against Vale Inco. John Fera, Local 6500 president, said Sunday that a $300,000 donation was recently received from the Steelworkers International Executive from American unions and corporations. That will will mean a $100 Christmas bonus cheque will be available for Local 6500 members. Photo by Marg Seregelyi.

Money keeps rolling in for support of Steelworkers strike against Vale Inco. John Fera, Local 6500 president, said Sunday that a $300,000 donation was recently received from the Steelworkers International Executive from American unions and corporations. That will will mean a $100 Christmas bonus cheque will be available for Local 6500 members. Photo by Marg Seregelyi.

Proof? Just talk to some of them. I have. They'll proudly say how they're playing the system. Lying to their union while working AND still collecting strike pay. - Totally against union rules. They've had friends hire...

Posted by: Phillip Morris

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Dec 28, 2009

By: Bill Bradley - Sudbury Northern Life

John Fera, Steelworkers Local 6500 president, said enough support has been received by the union that they can offer an extra $100 Christmas bonus this week, starting Monday.

Fera said his union continued to receive support locally and abroad. Because of a $300,000 cheque from the Steelworkers International Executive, Local 6500 members will receive a Christmas bonus cheque of $100 on top of their usual strike pay.“The $100 will be handed out Monday through Wednesday. This is new money we have just received.” He said that International Steelworkers president Leo Gerard, has also given the local a cheque for $95,000 recently.

Fera noted that other unions have been donating to the strikers. Laurentian University staff association members donated $6,500 on Dec. 24, he said. Sudbury Firefighters Association members delivered a cheque for $5,000 a week ago. Mine Mill 598 CAW donated another $1,000 on top of the $5,000 donated this fall and $800 was raised at a a benefit organized by La Casa Mexicana Restaurant two weeks ago, he explained.“People have been very generous. The community has been very very supportive,” Fera commented.

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15 Comments

  • Phillip Morris 1/11/2010 1:06:19 PM - Report Abuse

    Proof?
    Just talk to some of them.
    I have. They'll proudly say how they're playing the system. Lying to their union while working AND still collecting strike pay. - Totally against union rules.
    They've had friends hire them to get onto a payroll. Work a few weeks to pad the minimal EI contributions. Then conveniently get laid off. Submitting claims that include the insured contributions from pre-strike work at Inco.

    It's happening.

    One thing for sure, is that after the end of January, 6500 is eligible for full EI. Once replacement workers take your job, you can file for payments. Completely legal.
    However, I don't think that is what they had in mind when they chose to strike......

  • Housewife_2 1/6/2010 11:34:13 PM - Report Abuse

    Hey,Phil Morris.........do you have ANY proof that steelworkers are working and collecting ei?.......or are you are just being your usual idiot self?

  • TITO_1 1/2/2010 7:08:19 PM - Report Abuse

    Hey rog,,,send us a smoke signal,,,oh ya the smelters froze,,, grrreat job rog!!!,,,YIPEE!!!

  • Phillip Morris 1/1/2010 10:08:10 AM - Report Abuse

    Sad if people honestly believe that the rank and file's growing dissent can be bought off with a hundred bucks.

    Balance the scale with the tens of thousands in losses, growing debt, and public embarassment 6500 members are facing.
    Add to all that the growing reality that replacement workers are on the horizon. That cheque is nothing but an expensive publicity stunt.

    (By the way J. If you know of ANY Steelworker that is working elsewhere, call the hall and inform the union. They will have that scab investigated and cut off from their 'strike pay'. Then call EI and inform them that this person is not unemployed and defrauding the government. They HAVE a job and are not eligible for coverage. They will be cut off and rightfully charged.)

  • gapacl 12/30/2009 7:03:34 PM - Report Abuse

    where all this money come from? from the public that work and pay for their kids education and donates to a good cause not to a union that votes not to work

  • InTheKnow 12/29/2009 9:04:58 PM - Report Abuse

    Boo Hoo..Go back to work.

  • losinghope 12/29/2009 8:44:50 PM - Report Abuse

    Oh BOO effin HOO!!! One less jack ass I have to see in my place of business :)

    So why don't any of you anti-union people answer my questions?

  • Willie Wonka! 12/29/2009 7:19:43 PM - Report Abuse

    Union Christmas Bonus - Give me a friggin break!!! Go back to work! There are so many who would love to have your jobs!!! It's sick!~~ All of these so called supporters!

    Half the guys that are striking have jobs elsewhere, or are collecting EI!!!!!!!!!!! How the hell does that work, when they are not ready and willing to work, which you are suspose to be when collecting EI! There is something wrong with the system!

    Any business with a sign in the window supporting the Union I will not support!

  • Peair 12/29/2009 4:42:54 PM - Report Abuse

    That money ($100) is more Christmas bonus than Inco or Vale has ever given at Christmas in my time. One Day Longer!!!

  • losinghope 12/28/2009 6:09:33 PM - Report Abuse

    noone...I am one of those at a $10/hr job with no benefits. I fully support what these strikers are fighting for. I don't agree with people that think these strikers should have just rolled over and let Vale stick it in their arse. Strikers aren't greedy. They just wanted to continue working with the status quo.

    Are you all happy with the status quo at your job? Would you like to continue with status quo? If your boss said I am going to cut your pay or get rid of some of your benefits would you be okay with that? Even though the company you work for is still making huge profits???

  • losinghope 12/28/2009 5:57:21 PM - Report Abuse

    All you that are against this strike say that if strikers are having a hard time it's their own fault for not putting away for the strike. Well the same goes for all these businesses that rely on the mines operating for income. They have obviously gone through this before so they should have planned for it as well. If mining is cyclical then so are these business that rely on the mining industry.

  • Phillip Morris 12/28/2009 5:18:23 PM - Report Abuse

    Truth is that its not the $10 an hour folks (that work hard for that meagre pay-cheque) that are against 6500.
    It's the majority of the average Jane and Joe. The ones that have seen their family members lose jobs. Factories shut down across the country, and their own savings disappear in a world economic collapse.

    Those people who understand sacrifice in a recession are against the entitlement mindset of the Steal-workers. The arrogance and thuggery. The MAJORITY of people have turned their backs when healthy men and women chose not to work. Further hardening their resolve not to support a union that has the gall to use kids as publicity stunts. Taking giveaways from charity. Then defending 6500 as martyrs for the community. And some sort of Canadian champions.

    Educated and self thinking. Those are the 'clowns' that won't support an out of touch union that is 25 years behind the times. The latest is the union now attacking anybody that dares challenge their ideals. Either accusing them of being a paid blogger, scab, or anti-Sudburian.
    6500's desperation is laughable.

  • noone_1 12/28/2009 3:11:50 PM - Report Abuse

    Losinghope- There is A LOT of support for strikers in Sudbury. Don't use this or the SS blog to determine it, because all you have here is a bunch of ignorant clowns who have no idea what real work is. None of them have the fortitude to work underground and zero knowledge about the need for organized labor in an industry like mining.
    They post their negative comments because they work a $10/hr job with no benefits and think that everyone else should too.

  • deletethispost 12/28/2009 11:48:26 AM - Report Abuse

    what, another mine?, firefighters? and an optional donation through LU? SO much support, i can hear the thunderous footsteps now...

  • losinghope 12/27/2009 10:00:12 PM - Report Abuse

    Hmmm...and no one in Sudbury supports the strikers eh?