The approximately 700 iron ore workers at the Bloom Lake mine, near Fermont, have just given themselves a strike mandate, to be exercised at the appropriate time.
There are 712 members of a local section of the Steelworkers union, affiliated with the FTQ.
Gathered at four assemblies, they both rejected the latest employer offer and adopted their mandate for an unlimited general strike, by a margin of 98.6%.
Seven hundred of these 712 workers are “commuters” who go to work in Fermont from another region of Quebec, for long periods, before returning to the region where they live. These are mainly production workers themselves, such as day laborers, operators, mechanics, welders.
Salary is the main point in dispute. The union hopes to resume negotiations soon; there is no question of calling a strike yet.
“This is an important negotiation exercise. We have already spent 15 weeks negotiating on this issue. Members want to protect their purchasing power and improve the salary aspects of the collective agreement. In the context of inflation, our members do not consider the offer acceptable,” commented Steelworkers union representative Marc Tremblay.
Contacted by email, the management of Iron Ore said it was ready to continue talks. “With the union, we agreed to call on a conciliator from the Ministry of Labor. We continue to be in good faith and it is with openness that we will continue discussions to arrive at a mutually satisfactory agreement. »
“Our people represent our most valuable resource and our objective remains to offer the best conditions to retain, attract and develop the best talents,” she added.