Prepare for a long strike

"It could be long. The snow may come and go, but we'll still be here one day longer (than Vale Inco) until they recognize they can't rob us of our history, they can't rob us of our dignity and they can't rob us of our future," he said.

Vale Inco, which purchased Inco for $19 billion 2 1/2 years ago, is trying to break the union and the community with a contract offer that takes back many of the gains made in decades of collective bargaining, said Gerard.

In the 1980s, the union and Inco worked together to develop a system that would counter the "boom and bust cycle" of mining and the nickel price bonus was born.

When the company made big money, so did union members, and when it did not, members relied on their salaries, said Gerard.

The union also negotiated a pension that provides a guaranteed income for Steelworkers when they retire. Vale Inco is seeking to replace that defined benefits pension with a defined contribution one in which employees accept the risk for their investments.

Gerard later told The Sudbury Star that in many sets of contract negotiations, Steelworkers accepted pension contributions from Inco in lieu of wage increases.

Members are not prepared to accept a contract that sets them back 30 years, Gerard said several times in his speech to strikers.

The international president lashed out at the Brazilianbased mining conglomerate for using the excuse of an economic downtown to try to force concessions on Steelworkers.

He lambasted the president and chief executive officer of Vale Inco's parent company, Roger Agnelli of Vale SA, for saying the company's Sudbury operations are not sustainable.

"The CEO has got the gall -- the gall -- to say these mines can't be run at these kinds of prices," said Gerard.

Vale Inco has made more than $4 billion since it purchased the company -- twice as much as the old Inco made in the previous 10 years. "And Inco didn't cry poverty," said Gerard. "There were some tough times, but Inco made it."

Sudbury has the most productive, richest ore bodies in the world, as well as the most productive mining community, he said. And the entire community has benefited from the wealth generated by miners.

That has come not only from spinoff jobs, but from the contributions Steelworkers have made to colleges and universities, Sudbury Regional Hospital and to the creation of the Regional Cancer Program in the city.

"This fight, I have to be really candid, it rips my guts out. It rips my guts out to think we turned over the richest ore body in the world -- the richest ore body in the world -- to a company that has no respect for the community, for its workers or for our futures," said Gerard.

"We need to make sure that everybody in Northern Ontario, everybody in Ontario, everybody in Canada and as much of the world (as possible) understands what kind of rotten corporate behaviour (Vale Inco is) trying to impose on us," he said.

Local 6500 is part of a worldwide network of unions that will be called upon to support it in its fight. Steelworkers will travel across Canada and to other countries with mining unions to tell them about Vale Inco has treated its workers, said Gerard.

Vale Inco spokesman Steve Ball was asked to comment on some of Gerard's charges. He issued this statement via e-mail.

"We acknowledge that Mr. Gerard is here doing his job, however, none of that changes the fundamental business requirements confronting us. Our focus is on building a long-term future for our business operations in Ontario to allow us to be profitable in all business cycles.

"We want to achieve this to allow us to reinvest here in a sustainable manner, which is good for our employees, the company and ultimately for the community. This has not changed," said Ball.

- - -

www.thesudburystar.com