Nearly 80 workers at a steel recycling plant in Selkirk, Manitoba, have gone on strike following months of unsuccessful negotiations over wages and a new collective agreement.
Members of United Steelworkers Local 8740 at the Gerdau AmeriSteel Manitoba Metals recycling operation walked off the job at 11 p.m. on September 11 after bargaining failed to produce an agreement. The union said workers had rejected three separate offers from the employer, each by 92 percent.
The workers had also voted 92 percent in favour of a strike mandate in July, signaling strong support for industrial action if negotiations failed.
The central issue in the dispute is annual wage increases. During conciliation talks on August 24, the employer offered an $1,800 signing bonus, but the union said the two sides remained unable to reach an agreement on wage increases.
The union says the recycling operation plays an important role in the local steel industry because it supplies material used to keep a nearby mill operating. However, it claims workers at the recycling plant earn significantly less than unionized employees working at the mill.
According to the union, some employees with as many as 40 years of experience and who have reached the highest-paying classification earn approximately $9 to $10 less per hour than newly hired labourers at the nearby mill.
Andrew Sealie, president of the local union representing the recycling workers, said employees are frustrated by the wage gap and believe their compensation does not adequately reflect their workload or the rising cost of living.
The strike follows the union’s decision to issue a 72-hour strike notice on September 8 after the parties failed to reach a settlement.
The union has said it remains prepared to return to the bargaining table and negotiate a new collective agreement.
Gerdau, a major global steel producer headquartered in Brazil, has been contacted for comment on the labour dispute.
The strike highlights broader concerns over wages, inflation and the cost of living as Canadian workers and employers continue to negotiate new agreements in an uncertain economic environment.
Swifteradio.com
