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Contracting out issue key stumbling block at strike deadline looms

BY KEITH LACEY [email protected] With only days to go until possible strike action, contracting out remains the key stumbling block in negotiations between Falconbridge Ltd. and the union representing 1,060 production and maintenance workers.
BY KEITH LACEY

With only days to go until possible strike action, contracting out remains the key stumbling block in negotiations between Falconbridge Ltd. and the union representing 1,060 production and maintenance workers.

?The company wants the right to hire whoever they want, whenever they want to do any kind of work they want,? said Rick Grylls, president of Local 598 of the Mine Mill/Canadian Auto Workers (CAW).

?Our position is we have a collective agreement and our employees have a contract to do the work the company needs to have done around here. If they want to hire some people, they had better be full-time people and members of this union.?

Allowing contractors to come in and do work the membership is more than qualified to perform not only saves the company money, but erodes the strength and solidarity of the men and women who are most responsible for allowing Falconbridge to make huge profits out of its Sudbury operations, said Grylls.

?This is a matter of job security for our members as well as ensuring the long-term security of this community,? he said
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The membership is prepared to walk the picket lines at 12:01 am Sunday morning if a new deal isn't reached, said Grylls.

Scott Albion, director of human resources for Falconbridge's Sudbury operations, said the company remains much more optimistic a deal can be reached.

The company will not discuss specifics about contract negotiations, but there has been progress during talks, said Albion.

?We're having regular discussions and anytime that happens, we remain optimistic,? said Albion
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The union has its own agenda and perspective, but the company's bargaining team believe a new deal can be reached before anyone has to carry a picket sign, said Albion.

?We're still very hopeful something can get done in the short period of time we have left,? he said.
Before the current three-year deal was signed in early 2001, a total of 1,300 members of Local 598 walked the picket lines for almost seven months.

After almost two months of negotiations and with only days to go until another possible labour dispute, there hasn't been a single discussion about wage increases, benefits or pensions, said Grylls.

?All of the key issues are in the hands of the company,? he said. ?It was contract language about key issues that put our membership on the picket line for almost seven months three years ago and we're not about to give up any language or concessions.

?There hasn't been a single discussion about money or benefits yet and again we're waiting to see what the company is willing to do over the next few days.?

With union membership now at an all-time low, it's crucial the issue of contracting out be fought during this round of negotiations, said Grylls.

?This company has hired a lot of people to do a lot of the work our unionized members are capable of doing,? he said. ?What we're saying is if they want to hire from now on, then hired full-fledged, full-time employees.

?The people who belong to this union still produce the majority of wealth Falconbridge enjoys and we want to make sure the men and women who produce that wealth are protected.?

The issue of contracting out will determine whether or not there's a strike by midnight Sunday, said Grylls.

?Let's just say it's the most crucial issue we have,? he said. ?It's definitely the show stopper as one of my colleagues called it.?




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