Issues

NDP bolsters spirits of Vale Inco workers as strike entering 11th month

Welland Tribune

Posted By CAROLYN MULLIGAN/QMI Agency

SUDBURY — Striking Steelworkers are being urged to demonstrate the same courage now that their predecessors did when they fought, bled and even died for the right to assemble and demand a fair deal in the workplace.

A meeting like the one held Friday morning at the Steelworkers' Hall at 66 Brady St. would have been illegal in his grandparents' day, Hamilton Centre MP David Christopherson told 200 Steelworkers.

Local 6500 urged to be courageous at union meeting

CAROL MULLIGAN, The Sudbury Star

Striking Steelworkers are being urged to demonstrate the same courage now that their predecessors did when they fought, bled and even died for the right to assemble and demand a fair deal in the workplace.

A meeting like the one held Friday morning at the Steelworkers' Hall at 66 Brady St. would have been illegal in his grandparents' day, Hamilton Centre MP David Christopherson told 200 Steelworkers.

Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP): Mr. Speaker, The very first Bill I introduced after being elected to the House of Commons in 2006 was a bill that would give wages and pensions super-priority in cases of commercial bankruptcy. Since that time, the government has adopted much of what was in my bill with respect to securing workers’ wages, and I am delighted that happened. But sadly, the government has not yet acted in any way to protect pensions in a similar way.

Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the government is failing Canadian workers. Worse, it is actually endangering workers’ safety.

A report released yesterday showed that while the provinces have cut the number of disabling workplace injuries by 25%, the number of serious injuries in federal workplaces like Canada Post and the trucking industry has increased. It is no coincidence that those rates rose at the same time the government cut the number of workplace inspectors.

Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP): On behalf of the NDP Caucus, it is an honour to rise in this House today to commemorate the National Day of Mourning in somber remembrance of workers killed, injured, or exposed to toxins at work.

Veterans bill doesn’t solve real problem: Charlton
Gord Bowes, News Staff

A private member’s bill before the House may address a problem with war medals being sold and leaving the country, but it doesn’t solve a more serious problem, says MP Chris Charlton. Veterans shouldn't have to sell their medals and decorations in order to support themselves, said the federal representative for Hamilton Mountain. The men and women who fought for Canada are not getting the respect they deserve from their country.

Chris Charlton, MP (Hamilton Mountain, NDP) Mr. Speaker, I spoke to the Conservative government’s Budget when it was first tabled in this House and, unfortunately, I won’t have the opportunity today to go into detail again about what a profoundly negative impact it will have on seniors and hard-working Canadians.

Let me just re-iterate some of the key points that I raised last month.

Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP): Mr. Speaker, workers in Hamilton are still reeling after the abrupt announcement by Siemens that it will be closing its doors, putting 550 people out of work.

The province lost a “competitive process” to Charlotte, North Carolina, a state that will not only get our current jobs, but $130 million expansion as well.

Steelworkers need government help now

Chris Charlton, MP
Hamilton Mountain

Published in the Mountain News

Two and a half years ago, US Steel took over Stelco, and signed an agreement with the Government of Canada to meet employment and production requirements under the Investment Canada Act.

At the Lake Erie plant, US Steel laid off over 800 workers last March, and locked-out the remaining workers just a few months later. Zero jobs and zero production.

Workers rally for jobs at Siemens

By Kevin Werner
Hamilton Mountain News

Standing on the same site where a Siemens-Westinghouse time capsule is housed, union leaders and politicians raged Friday against both levels of government that are allowing the Munich-based company to close its doors and move south of the border.
“This is ridiculous,” said Ken Lewenza, Canadian Auto Workers union president. “I’m pissed. Capitalism has to be regulated. To allow Siemens to have the right to move workers around, it’s ridiculous.”