LabourStart Campaign Against Vale a Tremendous Success

[Omaha Steve]

I was one of the 8,000 and this action was posted here in the Labor Forum.


http://www.fairdealnow.ca/?p=3488

Published: December 30, 2009Posted in: News, Release

29 December, 2009

Eric Lee
Editor
LabourStart

Dear Eric:

In the last few weeks, more than 8,000 protest messages have been sent directly to the chief executive of Brazil-based Vale SA, condemning the mining conglomerate’s callous treatment of workers.

The United Steelworkers (USW) wishes to thank LabourStart for launching this e-mail petition in support of 3,500 USW members in Canada who are into the sixth month of a strike against Vale Inco. The petition reinforces the USW’s global solidarity campaign which is building alliances with Vale workers and communities around the world who are demanding better treatment from this giant multinational.


(http://www.labourstart.org/) On strike against transnational giant Vale Inco since July, Steelworkers' families in Sudbury Canada celebrate Christmas at their union hall. (photo: USW). Click here for more labour news from Canada and HERE to send a message of support for the strikers.Got a photo that should be here? Post it via Flickr.


The USW and its striking members in Canada are grateful for the support and solidarity they have received from LabourStart and the petitioners who made this such a successful campaign. It has been heartening to see thousands of people speak out, within such a brief timeframe, to help expose Vale’s attacks on working families and their communities.

Vale is massively profitable, yet it has provoked a strike in Canada by demanding huge concessions from workers. To date, the company has refused to negotiate a resolution to the dispute, rejecting the USW’s offer to resume meaningful, good-faith bargaining, free of pre-conditions.

Working people around the world joined LabourStart’s petition against Vale because they recognize it is unacceptable, arrogant and callous for a highly profitable foreign corporation to try to impose drastic concessions on workers and their communities, while removing greater amounts of wealth from those communities.

Until Vale decides to negotiate a fair deal with its Canadian workers, we will continue our international solidarity campaign against this company’s attacks on working families and their communities. USW members and their families would like to extend our appreciation and gratitude to LabourStart and our allies around the world for your ongoing support in our struggle.

In Solidarity,

Ken Neumann
USW National Director for Canada