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Global Unions, USW Bring Rio Tinto Alcan Canadian Dispute to Shareholders

18 April, 2012

Mining conglomerate Rio Tinto is destroying the community of Alma, Québec, by the continued lockout of 780 workers, members of the United Steelworkers (USW). The lockout since 30 December 2011 is an economic move in order to increase profits at an aluminium smelter of subsidiary Alcan in Alma.

Tomorrow in London, protests will occur outside and in the Annual General Meeting of Rio Tinto by USW Canadian members and their ally in the UK, Unite the Union. The protest will be supported by three Global Union Federations, the ICEM, the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF), and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

Shamefully, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has contracted with Rio Tinto to produce gold, silver, and bronze medals for this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics Games in London. Active protests are currently underway against IOC, stating that the Games are tainted and achievements of the world’s best athletes are flawed by a company with a long track record of economic and environmental destruction on the communities where it operates. (Join the Labour Start campaign to kick Rio Tinto “Off the Podium” with a message to the IOC here, and view the USW’s Off the Podium website.)

  

At tomorrow's protest, Unite will distribute replica Olympic medals to be passed out to the public at the shareholders' venue, the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre. Unite also has arranged for union-friendly Members of Parliament to submit an Early Day Motion in the UK Parliament.

Rio Tinto has posted profits of US$20 billion over the past two years and despite the fact that the Alcan aluminium smelter in Alma is one of the most efficient and profitable in the world, it has used a lockout to reap even more profit. Alcan management of late has refused to engage the USW in meaningful negotiations to end the lock-out, predicated on the company’s desire to force mass outsourcing by eliminating and full and direct employment

Alcan seeks to replace each retiring worker with a subcontract worker that will see 50% less than the current average union wage of C$34-an-hour. USW negotiators in early April submitted a proposal in bargaining to end the lockout, but Alcan management walked from the table still seeking the unlimited right to subcontract.

Alcan has continued to receive special assistance from the province of Québec in a generous agreement whereby Hydro-Québec buys back unused electricity from the company while the lockout is ongoing.

The lockout by Rio Tinto Alcan in Alma has triggered a global campaign against Rio Tinto that took on further dimensions early this week at a special Mines and Metals Networking meeting in Sydney, Australia, as well as at the 17-19 April ICEM World Mining Conference, also in Sydney. Trade unionists resolved to build a long-term global campaign against the world’s second largest resource company.