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July 6, 2018
SUSSEX, NB—Unifor is calling on Vic Drilling CEO Laura Araneda to stop profiting from a strike at Compass Minerals by flying replacement workers to Ontario.
“Laura Araneda is siding with a large American mining firm against Canadian miners,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “She could help end a three-month strike tomorrow. But instead, she’s deliberately undermining families in a small town in Ontario.”
Unifor Local 16-O has been on strike since April 27, fighting against a long list of concessions including mandatory overtime, reducing benefits, and weakening the contracting-out provisions in the collective agreement. The local says that mandatory work hours could reach 72 hours per week, something that would be catastrophic for health and safety.
Araneda has claimed in the media that she is just trying to help out-of-work New Brunswick miners, but Unifor says that profits, not the long-term job prospects of miners, is what is driving Araneda’s agenda.
“New Brunswickers would be outraged, and rightfully so, if the tables were turned. You simply can’t be the ‘good guy’ when you’re taking food off of the table of striking miners,” said Lana Payne, Unifor Atlantic Regional Director. “Stabbing striking miners in the back is not a ‘favour’ to anyone except U.S.-based Compass Minerals.”
Unifor is encouraging Compass Minerals to get back to the bargaining table as soon as possible to negotiate a fair collective agreement.
Last night Dias lead the remaining scab workers out of the mine as striking miners and community supporters chanted "Don't come back! Solidarity!”
Video available here.
For more information, please contact Unifor Communications Representative Natalie Clancy at natalie.clancy@unifor.org or 902-478-9238 (cell).
