EES. Women behind Stelco strikers By BOB MANN HAMILTON — Hamilton women have gone into action to support steel workers now in the ninth week of their strike. - : Through the sprawling domain of the non-union Dom- inion Foundries and Steel Co. (Dofasco) about 1,000 § women marched on Sunday, Sept. 27, to the main gate of 4. the striken Stelco Inc., singing ‘Solidarity Forever,”’ and chanting, ‘“Nickels, no! Dimes, no! Dollars, yes!”’ This impressive day of solidarity with the workers was organized through the co-operation of three women’s committees — Local 1005 Wives’ Committee, 1005 Women’s Committee, and Hamilton Working Women. More than 13,000 Hamilton steel workers from three different locals have been on strike against the huge Stelco corporation since August 1. The company is con- tinuing its campaign to break the unity of all the struck locals — which include five in Quebec and one in Alberta. Following the march an extensive line-up of speakers addressed the participants. Cec Taylor, president of striking Local 1005, representing 12,800 steelworkers, - explained the importance of wives, mothers, sisters and daughters supporting the strikers. Chairperson of the day, Joanne Santucci, herself a 1005 member, called on Hamilton mayor Bill Powell to give up his position of neutrality in the strike and to join the picket line. Mayor Powell is a retired member of the 1005 executive. Speaker after speaker indicated that Hamilton women - saw this march and rally as only the start of a number of TRIBUNE PHOTO — KERRY WILSON A long line of marchers go through the non-union Dofasco grounds on their way to the struck Stelco plant: The demonstration was in solidarity with Local 1005 Steelworkers. .. Cape Breton community behind striking miners” By GEORGE MACEACHERN SYDNEY, a S. — The strike of Cape Breton coal miners, now in its 10th week, shows no sign of an early end, as this is being written. Ray Holland, president of District 26, United Mine Workers of America, charges the employer, DEVCO, with being mainly interested in saving face and of ‘‘playing games” rather than negotiat- ing seriously. On a background of escalating living costs, the execu- tive of District 26 is refusing to negotiate until manage- see a ct et a nN years. Management refuses to accept what it calls ** conditions’. The last offer by management was an increase in the basic rate of $9 a shift, as of Jan. 1, 1981; $9.50 on Jan. 1, 1982 and $12 on Jan. 1, 1983 with improvements in life insurance coverage, weekly indemnity benefit and vision care benefits. New benefits: a dental plan effective January 1982 and a contributory pension plan. Although recommended by the executive this was turned down by a two-to-one vote. Although the basic demand now is for a two-year won a determined effort will be made to get out of the The Ontario Public Ser--— expired. A further increase contract there is still the matter of a different wage UMW of A and form a Canadian union. vice Employees Union next March will bring the . pattern. On this the district president says he is not Conciliation officers from Labor Canada have given which represents academic total raise to 12.2%, bring- negotiating ‘in public,’ and wages are still a matter for up hope of a settlement and have been taken off the job, staff at the province’s 22 ing the maximum for a fa- negotiations. which is now being done by Judge Allan Sullivan, whois community colleges called culty member to $37,000. = Few of those now working in and around the mines having his own difficulties in getting the parties backto the settlement a ‘‘sub- The union and the Coun- have had any experience with strikes. There have been the bargaining table because of the public stand taken by stantial _improvement’’ in cil of Regents, which repre-.. | - work stoppages of a day or two for which the strikers both sides regarding the length of the contract. . job security and worker sents the colleges have | were penalized by being laid off for a like number of _ It seems obvious that DEVCO is a participant, (by health benefits. agreed to establish a joint | : =) shifts but this is the first authorized strike in 34 years. Wives’ Committee _ During the first few weeks of the strike disunity mar- red the collective action. The strike began just a few days before the miners’ annual vacation. A large per- centage of the strikers took their families to the country or on trips while practically all those who had been pressing for a strike stayed at home, manning strike | headquarters and picketing everything connected with DEVCO as well as the Lingan power plant of the Nova Scotia Power Corp. There was also an anti-executive sentiment due to the recommendations of acceptance of the company offers. One of the best unifying factors of the strike and one that gave great encouragement to the strikers was the formation of a strikers’ wives committee along the lines of the one which proved of such value in the Sudbury miners’ strike. This new movement organized a mass meeting in the Miners’ Forum in Glace Bay at which the principal speakers were Jean-Claude Parrot and the pres- ident of the Sudbury wives group. When school opened the wives group provided chil- dren with scribblers, pencils, etc. Food supplies were, and are, being parcelled out to strikers who need.them. Public collections were taken and a great deal of support won for the strikers by these women. Workers Back Strikers Gerald Yetman, president of the Nova Scotia Federa- tion of Labor, gave unstinting support to the strikers in spite of the fact that few, if any, of the mine locals were affiliated. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—OCT. 9, 1981—Page 6 Other unions, whose members were employed in and around the mines — CUPE security guards; GBRT & GW shotfirers and mine examiners; technicians; office workers, declared early in the strike that they would respect picket lines. DEVCO railway workers were laid off the day the strike started. To date one crew was called out to remove two tank cars of acid from the CNR yard in Sydney and take them to the Heavy Water plant at Glace Bay. They were turned back by the strikers and the acid taken to the Port Hawkesbury plant. The miners seem to be better united and more deter- mined now than at any time during the strike but their international officers are not the most popular of men these days. To date there has been no strike relief sent into the district and no appeal made to the American miners to help their embattled Canadian brothers. To make matters worse it is now rumored that international president Church has sent a letter to all mine locals, urging all-out support for the United Appeal or its counterpart in the USA. It is freely stated here that, just as soon as the strike is agreement or independently) in the current tactic of “teaching labor a lesson’’ by prolonging the strike as long as possible. With the provincial elections in full swing the miners’ strike is a hot political issue and can do much to advance the class struggle in Cape Breton if not throughout Nova Scotia. workers of America. \ actions that they will take in support of the strike. Bob Mann is a steward of Local 1005, United Steel- J Ontario colleges get one year pact Ontario’s 7,000 commun- ity college teachers, libra- rians and counsellors have approved a one year agree- ment which will give them a 12% pay boost by March 1982. The contract includes 100% paid OHIP, extended - health care premiums and adjustments in group life in- surance premiums and den- tal plan payments. In- creased maternity leave and improvements in job secu- rity on layoffs and transfer a are also part of the agree- ment. 1, the day the last contract committee to deal with un- ~ resolved disputes at the — local union level. The contract was ac- cepted by 72.5% of 5,400 members who turned out to — vote. ¥ DUAL UNIONISN UES 5. Riene The first wage increase of 11.2% is retroactiveto Sept. |