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2009-12-01 at 10:38

Sudbury strikers upset with picket-line traffic

tbnewswatch.com
Thunder Bay TelevisionKeep informed with the Tb Television News hour Weekdays with Barry Third and Marjorie Dowhoshttp://www.tbtv.com

Striking workers in Sudbury are accusing their employer of orchestrating mass arrivals of vehicles at their picket lines, reports the Sudbury Star and Canadian Press.

The Striking United Steelworkers made the accusations toward their Vale Inco employer. The more than 3,000 production and maintenance workers have been on strike since July.

Pickets were originally allowed to delay motorists crossing the picket lines for up to 15 minutes. Union officials became upset when a judge ruled that the time limit applies to groups of vehicles when they arrive to the property.

Proposed pension changes and seniority rights are reported as a couple of the main issues that have led to the labour dispute.

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Comments
Dudebro says:
The Wolf, very fair comments and concerns. But I never once suggested the issues were over wages. I'm sure there are many good arguments either way. I would just really hope that no one is asking for too much and stalling the whole process. But no matter what, standing outside carrying signs, blocking access and generally inconveniencing people etc is not going to change a thing. These are old school tactics and people just laugh at it now.
The issue is, just simply stopping work to the point sometimes where people start to loose they're shirts is not a wise decision. To go as far as FuUnions did to call people lazy is definitely uncalled for. None of these workers are lazy..I've been there in that field of work before.
2009-12-01 at 19:41
The Wolf says:
Dudebro and FuUnions -

As Elvis said you guys are clueless and are lumping a wide berth of separate employees into one group with your ignorance.

Let me enlighten you about most of the lock out/strikes that the local sawmills went through.

1st off - wages or increases were not an issue and in fact the company generously provided the raises before the union was going to address the situation. Never did any negotiations stall over wages.

2. Most of the strikes/lockouts were about pensions and benefits and when I mention that is wasn't about increases to them it was about protecting them form the company that wanted to take them away and change them. The change would of cost many workers not only their new raises but also it would of dug into their pockets and had us making less money then before. I am not talking about a few dollars I am talking a few hundred a week or 400 a month.

As for "why" the folding up shop, well that is due to mis-management back in the days when the lumber prices were at all time highs, thats when they should of started the upgrades and improvements, instead of needing to use loan money in leaner times and to do so just to survive.
Also factor in the "at par" Canadian dollar, or maybe the tripling of fuel costs, or how about the market drying up in the USA who bought 90% of the lumber product produced in this city.

Blaming the workers instead of a market that hits rock bottom and mis-management for decades is pure ignorance on your part.
2009-12-01 at 6:00 PM
elvis2010 says:
FuUnions and Dudebro your ignorance and stupidity is sickening. You are both obviously clueless about this strike is being fought for. Maybe you both should look up, do a little research about what they are fighting for before you make your idiotic comments and, maybe you will learn that unions don't always fight for money.
2009-12-01 at 17:12
FuUnions says:
Yes that's right Dudebro. Maybe the woodlands would still be a viable industry if it was not for those lazy a.. overpaid union workers... How many mills in Canada had to shut down because of over paid unionized employees. Union members always put the blame on miss-management, but the reality of it is management has very little control over union workers. Today, employees are well protected by Employment Standards and other governmental agencies. There are no reasons why we still have unions.
2009-12-01 at 14:55
Dudebro says:
What a bunch of crying children. With times being tough right now for any heavy industry, one would surely think getting back to work would be a little more important than standing around trying to block people and inconvenience people into hearing your whine. They're lucky the industry they're in is generally still viable at the moment unlike the woodlands.
2009-12-01 at NOON
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