Steelworkers, Vale waiting for ruling about fired workers

At a July 13 hearing, representatives of both Vale and Steelworkers Local 6500 presented their full arguments at the Ontario Labour Relations Board regarding what they think should happen to eight union members fired during a recent labour dispute.

They are now waiting for a ruling by the labour relations board.

The union is asking that the labour relations board allow a provincial arbitrator to make the decision about whether or not the fired workers should be taken back by Vale.

Although nine workers were fired by Vale during the strike, one of the workers was allowed to retire and go on pension.

“We're asking that the labour board rule that the company bargained in bad faith because they negotiated everything except that one issue (the fired workers),” Myles Sullivan, a Steelworkers international representative, said.

“That one issue kept the parties at an impasse. What we're asking the board to award — because we feel that (the company) bargained in bad faith — is that those eight workers should have the right to go to an arbitrator.”

The rest of the union's bargaining in bad faith complaint to the labour relations board was dropped as part of a back-to-work agreement signed between the two parties last week.

Sullivan said he's not sure when the labour relations board will make a ruling on the matter.

“I'd be God if I could tell you that,” he said. “I'm hoping sooner rather than later. But it could be a few days, or it could be a few weeks.”