HARPER LIVES: THE U.S. STEEL ROBBERY

Thousands of steelworkers, community members, and union allies from across the province rallied outside of Hamilton’s city hall on Jan. 30. The demonstration was called to show support for the workers at U.S. Steel who have weathered major job losses and are now facing the loss of their benefits and pensions.
U.S. Steel, the Pittsburgh-based multinational, bought Stelco in 2007. Using the Investment Canada Act, the Harper government mandated U.S. Steel to meet production and employment commitments.
In 2009, U.S. Steel was winding down production at both the Nanticoke and Hamilton plants and laying off workers. Harper’s minority government was forced to respond and launched a lawsuit against the company. Read more!
HEY EARLY BIRDS! REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2016 LABOUR NOTES CONFERENCE
Every two years, a handful of movers and shakers north of the 49th parallel make their way to Chicago to take part in cross-border conspiring with thousands of North American labour activists. The Feb. 15 early bird registration deadline is fast approaching. Don’t miss out.
Want to bring stories of struggle back to Canada? Help RankandFile.ca cover the conference. Get in touch with us.
Want to bring stories of struggle back to Canada? Help RankandFile.ca cover the conference. Get in touch with us.
By Robert Devet
The safety record of the American owner of the Donkin coal mine in Cape Breton is far from stellar.
An online database search reveals that in the last four years, four underground coal mines owned and operated by coal magnate Chris Cline in Illinois were fined $6 million for safety-related infractions. Three miners died in separate incidents.
That’s just Illinois. Cline owns mines in other states as well. Read more!
By Sonia Singh
These days we hear a lot about how Uber and other apps are driving a new “gig economy” where it’s every worker for themself. But Uber drivers in Seattle are banding together to pursue an old-fashioned goal: collective bargaining.
In December their city council backed them up with an unconventional law that asserts the drivers’ bargaining rights and lays out a city-backed process for exercising them. Read more!
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