Vale Miners End Yearlong Strike with New Pact

by James Parks, Jul 9, 2010

Members of the United Steelworkers (USW) in Sudbury and Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada, voted today to end their yearlong strike against mining giant Vale, after they approved a new five-year contract.

USW Local 6500 members in Sudbury voted 75 percent in favor of the new contract, while Local 6200 members in Port Colborne ratified the deal by a 74 percent  margin.

Local 6200 President Wayne Rae congratulated members for the

determination, spirit and solidarity they demonstrated over the last year in their unprecedented struggle against this huge multinational corporation

 John Fera, president of Local 6500, added:

We also extend our sincere appreciation to our community for its tremendous support throughout the last year and to the countless people, unions and other groups around the world who demonstrated incredible international solidarity with our members.

The new agreement, which runs until May 31, 2015, includes wage increases between $2.25 and $2.50 an hour over term and pension improvements.   

“For the last 12 months our members have stood together in the face of incredible adversity,” said Wayne Fraser, USW’s district director for Ontario and Atlantic Canada.

They demonstrated tremendous character and they can hold their heads high as they return to work.

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