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Feds should ban foreign temporary workers from Vale Inco: union

United Steelworkers national director Ken Neumann is “demanding” that the federal government ensure that temporary foreign workers not be permitted to work at Vale Inco during the strikes in Sudbury, Port Colborne and Voisey's Bay.
Strike3
Weak demand for nickel and stainless steel may have an impact on the strike at Vale Inco's Sudbury (above) and Port Colborne operations, and by extension, other local producers and suppliers.

 
United Steelworkers national director Ken Neumann is “demanding” that the federal government ensure that temporary foreign workers not be permitted to work at Vale Inco during the strikes in Sudbury, Port Colborne and Voisey's Bay.

A news release put out by the Steelworkers said that Neumann sent a letter to Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and Human Resources and Skills Development Minister Diane Finley Sept. 2, saying that the union opposes any application from Vale Inco to bring in temporary foreign workers.

“The federal government’s guidelines specifically require they determine if the entry of the foreign worker is likely to affect the settlement of an ongoing labour dispute.” said Neumann, in the news release. “We are counting on this government to do their job, and insure respectful labour relations.”

The Brazilian multinational Vale, that bought the former Canadian Inco, “has broken with precedent by declaring that it will try to restart production without the striking workers, a decision that raises serious health and safety concerns and is certain to aggravate the labour dispute,” stated the news release.

Neumann reportedly said in the letter that if the federal government allowed foreign temporary workers to work at Vale Inco “you will certainly understand that granting an application to allow temporary foreign workers in the Vale Inco operations would make settlement of the dispute even more difficult.”

The news release said that according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, employers may not use foreign workers to circumvent a legal work stoppage or otherwise influence the outcome of a labour dispute.

Information on the strike and copies of the letter can be found at FairDealNow.ca .