Thunder King says:

How many people against the Canada Post and Air Canada strikers want to apply the logic in their previous comments here? Any takers?

6/20/2011 1:53:03 AM

tkmedic says:

This is ontario not a third world country, I find this unbelievable that a Us company can be allowed to operate with no accountability to the workers to provide medical coverage in a remote area so far from any hospital. Where is the ministry of labour or will they only pay a visit when there is a fatality. the golden hour is ticking boys stick to your walkout plan as all workers are all behind you.

6/20/2011 5:54:13 AM

madtrapper says:

Looks like this company is already making a name for itself. Where does this American company get off using our taxpayer funded EI benefit system as a bargaining chip to try to pacify the workers in exchange for illegal wages and conditions? This is an insult to me as a taxpayer. If you want Mexican labour.... go build your mine in Mexico. There are lots of Canadian mining companies around that would do a lot better job. I say pull their permits.

6/20/2011 6:26:42 AM

The Beaver..... says:

Let the dance Begin

6/20/2011 6:40:15 AM

The Badger Mountain Hermit says:

Haw haw haw...what did I tell ya? "They'll run it as cheap as possible." It's an industrial GULAG, run by and for the profit of, FOREIGNERS.

6/20/2011 8:25:14 AM

albert.a.bound says:

Just another American company that comes here and treats us like we are in a third world country.. Do the workers have a union? It's time to start standing up to these companies that come up here to rape and pillage the land and people for the "record profits" they post each year.. And I like how the end of the article says the processing plant "could" be built in Thunder Bay. They will build it wherever they can get the cheapest labour, plain and simple..

6/20/2011 8:42:35 AM

tbayguy009 says:

Remember these days gentlemen. While you were asked to perform your duties with dilligence and courage, people in high places are still stumbling over figuring out how to take as much profit out of the proposed operation and they can get away with. The Ministry of Labour, probably responded that they have no access to the site. Natural Resources only cares about setting up a plan for development. Educators want to teach you how to do the work properly in the first place and set up a training plan. Other government officials too busy doing luncheons everywhere else.

Yes gentlemen, walk away with dignity, you have my respect and support.

The government will spend a long long long time figuring out what is wrong with this picture. Government consultants will make more in wages than you guys could ever earn out there doing the work.

Maybe, just maybe in the coming months, you could apply for jobs at Canada post for $18 per hour and 4 weeks off per year. Doesn't that sound like a dream job? Every night you can sleep in your own bed too.

The employment office will no doubt be posting the new vacancies in the coming days, looking for the next wave of hard working, but desperate people. Honour is the courage to do what is just, regardless of the consequences.

I hope you people get through this. If you need to, look west for real hope and jobs. Here you will get a black eye, a broken body and barely a thank you. High school drop outs, that spent their lives doing real work and producing real products are history in the new economy. Today, it's all about Hollywood dreams and salesmanship.

6/20/2011 9:00:08 AM

zaphirine says:

yeh , for sure they should and have to pay these extra amenities to those workers called away from families and in the middle of nowhere , its only common sense these employers devise a plan to accommodate these workers who travel far n wide to get it going , w/o these workers out there , they wouldnt have anything to do it , id like to see those suit dummies go out there and work for a MacDonald like wage ,

6/20/2011 9:06:50 AM

Steven says:

If what these workers are saying is true, its time for the govt. to take action. We, the people, and therefor the govt., own the resources, and need to ensure that if they are going to be mined, that we get maximum benefit. That should include fairly high wages and benefit levels for workers that are away from their families working at the mine sites.

6/20/2011 9:08:50 AM

tbaybmkr says:

Gotta love non-union working enviroments...

6/20/2011 9:28:33 AM

northervoice says:

What ever happened to the Ministry of Labour,or the Minister for Northern Development? The American owners must think their in Chili or Africa. We do have standards here even if they are an international company.Another basic right ignored by this government.They sell out the worker to make themselves look good.

6/20/2011 9:29:54 AM

bonzo says:

but Im sure they'll treat the first nations with respect. right? right?

6/20/2011 9:37:21 AM

Tannoy says:

wow $140 a day for 14 hour days??? Thats less the minimum wage, no wonder these guys are walking off the job, can you blame them?? Sheesh, your company stands to make 30 billion, pay your workers a little better.

6/20/2011 9:42:37 AM

Icebiker3 says:

This is the very reason for the Labour movement, and the very reason why Union Organization must not be allowed to die. The Capitalists and Oligarchs who own the world must play nice, or else the workers must learn to take over.

6/20/2011 9:53:33 AM

yqtyqt says:

And we should believe Gravelle when he says that things are well in the mining sector? While the workers are citing poor working conditions, and a compensation package that would make workers "all seasonal workers on the organizational chart, in exchange for EI benefits", Gravelle is out there boasting what a good job he is doing.

This is just the beginning here folks. Where there's money to be made, there's problems to be had. Who will really benefit from the wealth. The company? the workers? the communities? the rest of us who contribute to EI? Maybe, maybe, just maybe, it might be the government and Michael Gravelle!

I don't trust the wealth distribution here one bit. If the government benefits, will the money actually find its way to neighbouring communities and the employees/citizens. Sounds like this is doubtful.

6/20/2011 11:46:32 AM

whitecrow says:

If they cannot treat the workers at the mine fairly , they will do no better at the ferrochrome processing plant . Our politicians should insist on good safe working conditions for all employees . That ain't going to happen though . They are in bed with the corporations .

6/20/2011 12:10:41 PM

bonzo says:

no comments yet? censored or what?

6/20/2011 12:29:04 PM

lori says:

assuming the workers complaints are legit, is this the company that everyone is tripping over themselves to attract.

6/20/2011 2:54:17 PM