CANADIAN LABOUR HAMILTON:

TEN THOUSAND PROTEST AGAINST LOCKOUT AT US STEEL IN HAMILTON:

The other day ten thousand people gathered in Hamilton Ontario to protest the ongoing lockout at US Steel in that city. Supported by a broad coalition of Ontario labour and social groups the people gathered to show support for 900 workers who have been locked out for almost three months over a dispute concerning pensions. Like elsewhere in the world the employer is attempting to renege on previous pension commitments. The difference here is that the Canadian government allowed the US purchase of the plant three years ago under the express provision that existing pension plans be protected. The government has chosen, not unexpectedly, to stand idly by as US Steel goes back on their word. Here's how the event was seen by the Toronto Sun.

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10,000 join union protest in Hamilton
By TERRY DAVIDSON, Toronto Sun

Last Updated: January 29, 2011 7:50pm

Legeare is one of the 900 workers from the Hamilton-based U.S. Steel — formerly Stelco — who have been locked out since Nov. 7 in the wake of U.S. Steel’s demands for pension concessions.

“Everybody deserves to retire with dignity and not have to work until they are 85 or 90 years old,” Legeare said.

He was also one of the more than 10,000 unionized workers who clogged the streets of downtown Hamilton on Saturday to show solidarity, protest the pension demands and criticize Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government for letting the dispute happen in the first place.

“We’ve been locked out because we won’t give up our pensions,” said Legeare, who has been with the company 11 years.

“The pensions the company wants to take away after stating three years ago when they bought (Stelco) that they were going to honour our pensions.”

Legeare and his co-workers had lots of support on Steeltown’s streets. Other unionized workers — “brothers and sisters” — came from as far away as Sudbury to show solidarity.

“It’s time for workers to stand up and stop this,” said Rick Bertrand, a steelworker from Sudbury.

“We know what’s going on. We just went through the same thing in Sudbury.”

“The manufacturing base in this country is being destroyed,” said Ontario Federation of Labour president Sid Ryan.

“Hamilton is being reflected in communities all over Canada,” he said.

“Canadians are furious at Harper’s disregard for our income security and will make this a major election issue,” Ryan said.

“Harper’s vision for Canada’s future is a low-wage economy where retirees are forced to gamble with their income security on the stock market.”

According to the OFL, 2,200 employees have lost their jobs since U.S. Steel took over Stelco.

terry.davidson@sunmedia.ca
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Here's how the event was reported in the Hamilton Spectator. More on the situation of the pensions here.
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Thousands protest U.S. Steel
Thousands of union members jammed the core of Hamilton Saturday to denounce U. S. Steel and Prime Minister Stephen Harper for not protecting worker pensions.

The rally, in support of 900 locked-out Hamilton members of the United Steelworkers, attacked the American company for demanding drastic changes to the pension plan and the end of indexing for 9,000 retirees.

Union banners and flags showed the local crowd was swelled by members of the Canadian Auto Workers, Service Employees International Union, McMaster University students, Communication Energy and Paperworkers union, and public sector unions including the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The marchers were exhorted by the presidents of the United Steelworkers, the Canadian Labour Congress, Ontario Federation of Labour and Hamilton and District Labour Council and area NDP members of federal and provincial Parliament.

Speaker after speaker denounced the company’s pension demands as evidence of corporate greed by U.S. Steel and a clear example of the Harper government’s failure to protect workers.

“These fights are happening across the country now,” said USW international president Leo Gerard. “Everywhere on earth, these corporate bastards are trying to pick our pockets.

“I’ll be damned if I’m going to stand by and let them take our pensions,” he added. “We have to demand that Harper stand up for Canada.”

U.S. Steel was given federal government approval to buy the former Stelco in 2007. To get that approval it promised a “net benefit” to Canada by maintaining jobs and production for three years. Within two years, however, the company’s Hamilton plants had been shut down twice and their work transferred to American mills.

Now it is demanding the current defined-benefit pension plan be closed to new members in favour of a defined-contribution system. It also wants an end to annual increases for current retirees.

Rolf Gerstenberger, president of USW Local 1005, said Saturday’s protest is only the latest in an ongoing round of efforts to draw attention to the concerns of both his members and Canadian industry.

“This is a historic gathering that makes a historic statement,” he said. “We are in a crisis and that crisis has to be resolved in favour of the people, not the rich.

“This is a struggle for a sovereign Canada and a diverse economy that includes manufacturing,” he added.

The next round will be staged May 1 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Leaders had predicted as many as 6,000 people would turn out for the rally. The parade they staged took 20 minutes to pass any given point on its route.

See Monday’s Hamilton Spectator for complete coverage.

sarnold@thespec.com

905-526-3496

CANADIAN LABOUR:

MORE ON SECURITY

ASSAULTS ON REPORTERS IN TORONTO:

A couple of days ago Molly reported here on assaults on the part of Olympic security in Toronto. The victims were two reporters from the Toronto Sun. According to the following article from said newspaper the assault against these two people followed upon a previous assault against a photographer from the Canadian Press. The union representing the two Sun reporters (CEP Union Local 87-M) continues to press for charges to be laid against the assailants. So far the employers of those assaulted, the Sun and the Canadian Press, have been quiet about the matter. To watch for future developments stay tuned to the CEP Union Blog. Here's the update from the Toronto Sun on what was presented here before.

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Sun man roughed up:
Hospitalized after incident with cops
By CHRIS DOUCETTE AND BRETT CLARKSON, TORONTO SUN
NEWMARKET -- Hundreds of people lined the streets to watch what was supposed to be a peaceful passing of the Olympic flame yesterday.

But supporters of the Vancouver 2010 torch relay were instead left stunned as they watched security staff manhandle two members of the media, one of whom, a Sun reporter, had to be hospitalized with a head injury.

Not only that, but earlier in the day, a Canadian Press photographer was also banged up by cops in downtown Toronto as he tried to shoot pictures of the torch.

Ian Robertson, a 22-year Sun newsman, was filming video of shooting victim Louise Russo's torch relay along Davis Dr. when an RCMP officer wearing an Olympic uniform grabbed him, causing him to fall.

"It was absolutely overzealous and uncalled for," Robertson said last night.
'JUST A GUY'
Robertson, 61, had no idea the security officer, in his Olympic garb, was a cop. "He never identified himself, so I had no idea who he was," Robertson said. "He was just a guy in a track suit."

As he was being forced off the road, Robertson twisted in an effort to break loose from the unknown man's clutches.

"I was telling him to take his hands off of me, that this was unnecessary," Robertson said. "That's when I stumbled and fell backwards."

Sun photographer Dave Thomas was also pushed several times but he was not injured.

Four other Sun staffers have since come forward with similar complaints about torch security staff. York Regional Police say they are investigating what happened to Robertson.

The mild-mannered Robertson was fitted with a neckbrace, put on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to Newmarket hospital after the shoving incident. Afterward, he was clearly dazed and had difficulty speaking.

"We're appalled by what appears to be an unprovoked and unwarranted assault on one of our journalists who was simply doing his job," said Sun interim editor-in-chief James Wallace.
'GOON TACTICS'
The "police-state goon tactics" was totally uncalled for at what was supposed to be a feel-good event with obvious media interest, said Brad Honywill, president of Local 87-M of the Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union of Canada, which represents Sun journalists.

Honywill wants criminal charges laid against the officers involved.

Earlier in the day, Canadian Press photographer Frank Gunn was also on the receiving end of police aggression when officers apparently took issue with him trying to photograph the torch near Front and Church Sts.

Gunn was grabbed on the shoulder by one cop, ran into by at least one more bike cop, and then surrounded by eight or nine officers on bikes. Gunn said he was crouched on the ground, about three metres away from the torch when it was lit, and was clearly identifiable as a journalist with his cameras and torch-relay credentials when the police turned aggressive on him.
'OPEN EVENT'
"They certainly appeared to be overbearing," said Gunn, a 25-year news photographer. "They fail to recognize that this is supposed to be a free and open event. They turned it into a very closed and aggressive event."

But from the RCMP, the police measures were "appropriate."

RCMP Staff-Sgt. Mike Cote, a spokesman for the V2010 Integrated Security Unit, defended the security detail's actions and said they have done nothing wrong.

"The security team is responsible for the safety and security of the torchbearers and the torch at all times," Cote said. "As a result, (they) will not let anyone other than the torchbearers and the flame attendants into the secure perimeter."

Based on reports from the torch security team, Cote claims Robertson was warned twice before being physically removed from the area. ( Like they "warned" the Polish immigrant who was tasered to death the other year at Vancouver Airport I presume-Molly )

However, he couldn't explain how the media are supposed to know where that area begins and ends.

CANADIAN POLITICS-TORONTO:

OLYMPIC FLAMED DELAYED/ OLYMPIC SECURITY ASSAULTS REPORTERS:

The Olympic flame continues its uneven progress across the country, and in Toronto it ran into a little more trouble than usual as protesters delayed and diverted the parade. Here's the story from the Toronto Star.

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Olympic torch relay hits trouble:
Organizers are forced to take alternative route after protesters grind procession to a halt

December 18, 2009

Stephen Smysnuik

Henry Stancu
Everything was going so smoothly. Then the torch hit downtown.

As the Olympic torch relay marched down Yonge St. on Thursday night, hundreds of protesters flooded the thoroughfare at College St., grinding the procession to a halt.

Dozens of police officers carrying batons barricaded about 300 demonstrators in the intersection, where they stood chanting "No Olympics on Stolen Native Land" while holding a large papier-mâché torch.

Up Yonge, fans of torch carrier Akshay Kumar, Bollywood's equivalent of Brad Pitt, pushed their way onto the street, further clogging the street.

Delayed by an hour, the relay organizers turned to Plan B.

They put the torch in its protective safety lantern and the convoy drove on, diverting west along Wellesley St. to its scheduled stop at the Hospital for Sick Children.

Thursday's incident marks the second time the torch has been held up by protests in its 106-day, 45,000-kilometre journey to the Games.

A week ago in Montreal, about 100 demonstrators swarmed the main stage at the square where the rally was ending.

Protesters, meanwhile, are planning another demonstration for the torch parade in Kitchener next week.

An official with the Olympic Torch Relay said organizers are working closely with police in each jurisdiction it visits.

"There's going to be individuals and organizations that have different views, and use the torch relays as a way to draw attention to the other matters. I hope that any of those protests are done in a peaceful way," said Chris Shauf. "We want to make sure the family-friendly celebrations and the spirit of the Olympic flame is upheld at all times."

Thursday's demonstration consisted of a collection of smaller activist groups that opposed the Games, including No Games Toronto, No 2010 and Ontario's Coalition Against Poverty. They are protesting the economic costs of the Olympics and the effect it is having on displaced people, especially Vancouver's aboriginal population.

"Our point was to put a message out there and I think we did it," said Syed Hassan, organizer of the Extinguish the Torch Committee.

"We aren't against sports. We're against the attacks on our indigenous people, migrants and the environment."

While several spectators applauded the group, some even patting Hassan on the back, others weren't as impressed.

Kathy Jackson, 47, stood at Yonge and Carlton Sts. for two hours for her chance to catch a glimpse of the fiery beacon. But the diversion meant she wouldn't get to see it.

"I am devastated. I'm a big fan of the Olympics. I'm a big supporter," said Jackson, sporting a red Canada jacket. "I understand where (the demonstrators are) coming from, but this was not the right place."

She dashed off to City Hall, hoping to see the celebrations there. At Sick Kids, scores of children celebrated by singing O Canada.

The torch finally reached Nathan Phillips Square around 8 p.m. and the festivities – overseen by police – went off without a hitch, ending with an explosion of fireworks.

Earlier in the day, hundreds turned out in Oshawa, Whitby, Stouffville and Markham to see the torch travel through their communities.

With files from Jesse McLean, Robyn Doolittle and Madeleine White
Source:Toronto Star

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Here, from the No2010 website is how it was seen by the protesters.

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TORONTO DISRUPTS THE TORCH!

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!

(report back and some media)
Over 250 people took to the streets Thursday night to welcome the Olympic Torch with a resounding: “No Olympics on Stolen Native Land” Enthusiastic folks met up at 5:15 at College & University, gathering around a 15 foot homemade torch of our own, banners reading “Resist 2010 for the land”, “No 2010 Torch” and sharing in some homemade food.

Organizers from Six Nations read the Declaration of the Onkwehonwe of Grand River Territory on the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay, Doreen Silversmith also from Six Nations spoke about how the attacks on women are attacks on the land and Mark C. from ARA spoke of Indigenous Youth rising up and taking power. Messages of Solidarity were delivered by No One Is Illegal-Toronto, No Games Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo’s own Torch Welcoming Committee.

Grounding the crowd in the reasons we were here: to decry Canada’s colonial violence and expose the lies of Olympics Circus, chants began that would ring through Toronto all night. While the cold seeped, our MC got the crowd jumping and amped to go meet the torch.

Anticipating the torch taking a lil’ streetcar ride, people took to College Street. The first line of bike cops at College and Elizabeth set up as we began a fluid game of cat and mouse. Our people took some surprise routes towards Yonge and Gerrard where we regrouped and faced a row of riots cops, holding the intersection. We gathered at the line of cops and turned back suddenly, going North, walking up Yonge St. to meet the Torch. At Yonge and College we ran into the crowds there to cheer on the Torch some of whom started booing and hissing. We handed out thousands of pieces of ORN and No2010 literature and some people even joined our action. One onlooker pushed over our speaker.

The horses arrived and tried to split us in two but that failed. Then a small group stayed back at Yonge and College, while the rest of the street party walked North, slowing to regroup and coming closer to the Torch. At Yonge and Maitland, we decided to stop and hold it, as people from the back rushed to join us. With messages streaming in that the media were reporting we had blocked the Torch and having chased the torch around the city for nearly two hours (it was now 7:30), we euphorically declared victory! We had forced VANOC to split the Torch in to two, and brought our message right to the centre of the Olympic Circus.

While all of this was going on, the March in Honour of Harriet Nahanee, led by indigenous women, had split off to follow the torch into Nathan Phillips Square, where a climber free climbed an arch directly opposite the stage and hung a banner reading “Gego Olympics Da-Te-Snoon Nishnaabe-Giing Ga-Gmooding” (No Olympics on Stolen Native Land in Anishinaabemowin). Our people had infiltrated the crowd, holding up banners and handing out flyers, and booing the flame as it left Nathan Phillips Square around 9:30pm. The banner stayed up till the end of the festivities and the climber only got a $100 ticket.

Two arrests were made when two protesters ran alongside the Torch following the disruption at Yonge and Maitland. They were released later that night.

We stole the Torch’s thunder, with CTV, NDNTV, APTN, City, the Globe, the Star, the Sun, Now Magazine and some Ryerson folks reporting on the disruption and relaying the message that we took to the streets demanding justice for indigenous peoples, an end to corporate domination and the truth about “Canada’s” ongoing policies and practices of colonialism. Though there has been a serious damper being put on the size and effect of our actions, everyone on the streets of Toronto heard us last night.

This protest was organized by an autonomous group of people coming together for this occasion, and showcased a broad spectrum of Toronto’s resistance. As we head into 2010, we urge folks to support Six Nations as they stand up and block the Torch from entering their territory on December 21st, to head to Kitchener-Waterloo on December 27th, to converge on Vancouver from February 10-15th, and to start thinking about your plans for the G8/G20 meetings in June. Overheard during the street party: “Man, the G20’s coming here, and we can’t even handle this!”, cop.
‘See you in the streets.
Some Media: (note, if you took pictures or video on Thursday night, please email them to torchblock@gmail.com)
1) Independent Journalist: http://nealj.livejournal.com/22288.html?sms_ss=email

2) http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2009/12/17/260-torchbearers-to-carry-olympic-torch-through-gta.aspx

3) http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/12/17/toornto-torch.html

4 )http://www.canada.com/sports/Torch+relay+disrupted+rerouted+after+protesters+block+Toronto+street/2353574/story.html 5)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hKAnNvgFGyo5z0AQPHUo2wHB55zA

6)

http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/66074--native-protesters-block-olympic-torch-relay

7) http://www.680news.com/news/local/article/9367--group-blocks-yonge-street-to-stop-olympic-torch

8) http://citynews.video.citytv.com/video/57986360001/Olympic-Torch-Arrives-Downtown-Amid-Protest/

9) http://olympics.thestar.com/2010/article/740529--olympic-torch-relay-hits-trouble

10) http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091217/torch_TO_091217/20091217?hub=Toronto

11) http://olympics.thestar.com/2010/article/740529--olympic-torch-relay-hits-trouble

12)

http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?Section=Movies&ID=ENTEN20090121757&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&keyword=bollywood

13) http://video.aol.co.uk/video-detail/torch-protest-in-toronto/1203234917

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PUNCHING OUT THE PRESS:

While the protesters maintained a non-violent approach to their demonstration this was not the case with Olympic Security. It seems that some of the rent-a-goons, disappointed by being unable to get up front for some of the action that the big boys (the police) were engaged in with the demonstrators felt that they should get their jollies somehow some way. Hence the following attack on two journalists from the Toronto Sun. Here's the story from the CNW site. The union that the journalists in question belong to, the CEP Union, went fair ballistic and is hoping to hold the authors of the attack accountable. The most astounding part to Molly was that the goons in question decided to attack the 60 year old reporter (see below) loaded with gear. One can only imagine what was going through their heads, besides the testosterone from their nuts. I'm "sure" that this guy looked like a "security threat". I guess that such events may actually be justification for on the job drug and alcohol testing.

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Journalists union demands criminal charges against Olympic security:
TORONTO, Dec. 18 /CNW/

- The head of a union representing journalists in Ontario is demanding criminal charges against security officers involved in crowd control for the Olympic torch run after two journalists were assaulted in Newmarket today.

The two journalists, both photographers for the Toronto Sun, were attempting to take pictures of Olympic torch bearers as they made their way along Davis Drive in Newmarket shortly after noon.

Photographer Dave Thomas was repeatedly shoved as he tried to take pictures but was not injured. But photographer Ian Robertson, who is about 60 years old and was laden with camera gear so he was unable to defend himself, required hospital treatment for an apparent head injury after he was shoved to the ground by security officers wearing the grey Olympic uniforms.

"This is an outrage," said Brad Honywill, president of Local 87-M of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada. "The Olympics are supposed to represent the highest of human values but the behaviour of the security officers represents nothing less than brutality and cowardice."

The fact protests had delayed the torch run the day before doesn't authorize security to use police state tactics for crowd control, Honywill said, noting that there was much criticism of the Chinese government for the way it crushed protests during last year's summer Olympics and this behaviour is no better.

"It would have been obvious to anyone who cared that these two people were professional photographers and certainly not protesters attempting to disrupt the torch relay," Honywill said.

"There was no excuse for the kind of physical violence that took place."

The president of CEP Local 87-M noted that journalists are being killed in record numbers around the world, often at the hands of government organizations. Others, both at home and abroad, are being subjected to increased violence. And it has to stop.

"Journalists should not be seen as punching bags for the police, security forces or anyone else. When they're exposed to violence, all of society is threatened because it's the journalists who reveal what is happening in their community and country."
For further information: Brad Honywill, President CEP Local 87-M, W: (416) 461-2461, ext 7, C: (905) 334-9259