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Steelworkers Seek Help Reaching Agreement with Wabush Mines

June 2, 2004 — United Steelworkers' Atlantic/Ontario Director Wayne Fraser announced Tuesday that Steelworkers' Local 6285 is asking the Newfoundland/Labrador government to appoint a conciliator in an attempt to reach an agreement with Wabush Mines. The previous agreement expired March 1.

Wabush Mines is asking concessions from its 350 unionized workers, including:

• Flexibility, whereby workers would be required to do all tasks in both production and trades.
• Contracting out of long-held bargaining unit work, such as townsite maintenance, garbage collection, road maintenance and snow clearing, janitorial work, and more.
• Creating a group of 'temporary' employees with no rights under the contract.
• Increasing employees' probationary period.

Wabush Mines is owned by Stelco Inc., Dofasco Inc. and Cliffs Mining Co., which also manages the property.

The United Steelworkers represents about 180,000 men and women working in every sector of Canada's economy.

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