CANADIAN LABOUR-SUDBURY:

SOLIDARITY RALLY IN SUDBURY:

The following article from the Sudbury Star came to Molly's attention via the strike support site Fair Deal Now for members of the United Steel Workers who have been on strike against Vale Inco for some time now. There is a solidarity rally planned in Sudbury for the 19th of September.

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Steelworkers plan globally, think locally for rally:

Posted By CAROL MULLIGAN, THE SUDBURY STAR
United Steelworkers is looking to pack Sudbury Community Arena to the rafters Sept. 19 with an international labour rally to bolster the fight of three of its locals in Ontario against Vale Inco Ltd. and Vale Inco in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Striking members of USW Local 6500 in Sudbury, Local 6200 in Port Colborne and Local 9508 in Voisey's Bay, NL, will be joined by union colleagues from Vale Inco's Thompson, Man., operations -- as well as workers from around the world.

The theme of the rally will be Building Solidarity, said USW staff representative Myles Sullivan.

The movement to build worldwide unity against the Brazilian-headquartered Vale SA, parent company of Vale Inco, began in Brazil and is becoming international, said Sullivan, who travelled to the South American country to talk about his union's battle with the giant miner.

The second largest mining company in the world is making profits "on the backs of workers" by "oppressing" them, said Sullivan, and USW is determined to spread that message far and wide.

Several local, national and international trade unionists will speak at the 11 a. m. rally, which union and non-union members alike are invited to attend.

USW Locals 6500 and 6200 went on strike against Vale Inco on July 13, and Voisey's Bay Steelworkers walked off the job Aug. 1.

United Steelworkers has been stressing the labour disputes are not just the business of the union, but of the communities in which they work.

Anyone who doubts the impact Steelworkers and their employers have on communities need look no further than the recent boom in housing prices in Sudbury two years ago, fuelled by record high prices for nickel.

Local 6500 is also the largest single supporter of United Way in Sudbury. "If that's not helping the community, what is?" asked Sullivan.

Mining jobs create thousands of spinoff positions in the community as well.