Workers Uniting questions Vale’s cancellation of investor events
21st October 2009
Workers Uniting, the world’s first international union, has
criticised mining company Vale’s recent decision to cancel planned
investor events in New York and London as more evidence of a
company in disarray.
The global union represents three million workers in North
America, the UK and Ireland, Workers Uniting, is a partnership
between Unite from the United Kingdom and the United Steelworkers
(USW) from the United States and Canada.
USW members at mining company Vale have been on strike since
13th July in a bitter dispute over pay, terms and conditions. The
dispute is at Vale operations in Sudbury and Port Colborne, Ontario
and Voisey’s Bay, Labrador, Canada.
Vale was scheduled to meet with key investors in New York on
21st October during 'Vale Day on Wall Street' and in London on the
23rd October.
Ken Neumann, USW Canadian national director, said: “Vale has
been trying to avoid our shining a light on its managerial
misconduct. Now it appears to be trying to hide from hard questions
that might be raised by investors and the media. We will go to
wherever Vale has operations and tell customers and investors how
this company is unfairly treating its workers in Canada, Brazil and
elsewhere."
Despite the cancellation of its own day on Wall Street, striking
miners in Sudbury, Canada will still hold their own 'Vale Day'
today (Wednesday). Since Vale was planning to host a breakfast for
investors, USW will host a breakfast on the picket line where some
3,500 miners are on strike.
In New York, a delegation of USW activists will join strikers
from Sudbury and Port Colborne across the street from the New York
Stock Exchange at Federal Hall where they’ll inform investors that
the company is hiding from them, too. The USW wants the company to
return to the bargaining table in Canada and calls on its top
management to rekindle negotiations.
Strikers and other supporters will also conduct a demonstration
at Vale offices in Toronto and in Rio.
The workers will also reach out to the financial community in
London in November. Unite represents Vale workers in London and
Wales.
Derek Simpson, Unite joint general secretary, said: “Through
Workers Uniting we are supporting the Vale miners in Canada.
Investors must be told about the Canadian struggle to reach fair
labour agreements. We stand in support of the USW in its Vale
campaign for a fair deal now.”
Ends
For more information, contact:
Saba Mozakka (UK) at 07768 693 953; saba.mozakka@unitetheunion.org
Bob Gallagher (Canada) at 416-434-2221; bgallagher@usw.ca
Wayne Ranick (U.S.) at 412-562-2444; wranick@usw.org
You can also visit: www.fairdealnow.ca
