LABRADOR CITY, WABUSH, NL, July 6 /CNW/ - A strike by more than 300 members of the United Steelworkers at Wabush Mines in Labrador West could soon be followed by a walkout of more than 1,400 hourly employees at the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) and the Quebec North Shore and Labrador (QNS and L) Railway in Labrador City and Sept Iles, PQ.

Members of Local 6285 voted 326 to 2 on Monday (July 5) to reject concessions demanded by Wabush Mines, concessions that would eliminate jobs and increase contracting out. The company has made no monetary offer to the union and workers are now on 24-hour picket lines, preventing contractors from coming onto the mine property.

Meanwhile, no talks are scheduled with IOC, and members of the Steelworkers' Locals 9344, 5795 and 6731 are planning for a strike vote on July 19, also over deep concessions to their collective agreements. If workers vote to strike, picket lines will immediately go up.

When contract talks with IOC broke off in late June, Steelworkers' Ontario/Atlantic Director Wayne Fraser said the company, part of the transnational Rio Tinto Limited, is following a pattern of anti-union behaviour that is counterproductive in a strong market for iron ore.

"With peak demand and market, there is no excuse for pushing negotiations over the edge with unwarranted concessions," he said.

IOC is sticking to its demand for concessionary language and monetary proposals amounting to close to $7 an hour.

Wabush Mines is owned by Stelco Inc., Dofasco Inc. and Cliffs Mining Company, which also manages the property. IOC is controlled by Rio Tinto, the subject of a global campaign by union members to force the company to clean up its record on human and workers' rights. (http://www.uswa.org/uswa/program/content/1190.php)

The United Steelworkers represents about 190,000 men and women working in

every sector of Canada's economy.

For further information: Wayne Fraser, (416) 243-8792, (416) 577-4045; Michel Arsenault (Quebec Director), (514) 850-2240; Jim Skinner (president, Local 6285), (709) 282-6641, (709) 944-1306; Ken Dawson, (Atlantic Coordinator), (506) 857-0999; Réal Valiquette (Quebec North Shore Coordinator), (418) 962-2041

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