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   Vol.64/No.20            May 22, 2000 
 
 
Novia Scotia miners demand relief for mine closures  
 
BY CHRIS REMPLE  
SYDNEY, Nova Scotia--A federal mediator called off talks between the United Mine Workers and the Cape Breton Development Corp. (Devco) April 6, when the company refused to budge on issues of pensions and job guarantees. Devco is privatizing the last coal mine in nearby Cape Breton, and miners expect it to close.

The miners are demanding the government and Devco, the government corporation that has run the coal mines for the past few decades, provide an early retirement for miners with more than 20 years in the mines regardless of age and a guaranteed job for those with less than 20 years. The company originally refused to even discuss this with the miners. In December, miners occupied Devco headquarters and in January they walked out of the Prince mine, the last remaining mine in the area.

The three main pillars of the Cape Breton economy have been Sydney Steel, a mill that employed 3,000 at its height, the coal mines, and the cod fisheries. The steel mill is closing this month, the government plans to privatize the last mine by the end of the year, and the cod fisheries have been devastated by years of overfishing.

Over the past several weeks, students, parents, and teachers throughout the province held protests and marches against a provincial government move to enact a budget that would result in the loss of some 800 teaching jobs and many more nonteaching jobs in Nova Scotia schools. In addition to the jobs lost, the cuts would force schools to drop many programs and move to larger class sizes. Funding for health care and assistance to farmers was also slashed.

In December, miners from the union locals at the Prince mine, the wash plant, the coal piers, and the central stores occupied the Devco headquarters to draw attention to their fight. They followed this with a strike on the first day of work in January 2000. After seven days on strike, seven miners walked into the mine and occupied it. Their action, including launching a hunger strike from within the mine, caught broad attention and won quick concessions from the Devco bosses.

The occupation and the presence of 500 miners on the surface, ready to defend their picket against 150 Royal Canadian Mounted Police, brought the strike to a swift victory. The government agreed to a joint planning committee with the authority to negotiate early retirement and job issues. As Terry Binder, 45, a 23-year veteran of the mines, explained, "We're not just stupid coal miners like they thought. When it came to it we shut it down. We wouldn't even have the talks now if we hadn't occupied the pit."

Fred Currie, 44, with 21 years in the mine, added, "Even the Mounties told Devco they weren't going in the mine to get the guys in there." Greg Tanner, a 47-year-old chain runner with 21 years service, pointed out, "They would never have found us." Binder, Currie, and Tanner were three of the seven who occupied the mine. In their first interview with the press since the occupation, the mine workers union members explained their fight and the impact it has had on other struggles in the area.

With the end of mediation, the issue of early retirement or jobs is in the hands of an arbitrator. But the miners are discussing what to do if the arbitrator's ruling goes against them. Binder said, "A lot of guys are disgruntled. They're saying we should have stayed."  
 
'Pay for own unemployment'
The government and Devco have offered a severance package that can total as much as $70,000 (US$49,000). Binder explained, "You only get $32,000 after taxes. And you lose your unemployment. They said we could buy medical coverage until 65 for $10,000. But last week they told one guy it would cost him $42,000 for medical. He'll end up owing $10,000 after his severance."

"We would have to live off this money," Currie said. "The severance package is nothing. You're paying for your own unemployment," Sullivan added.

The miners pointed out that the so-called early pension is not a pension for life. The Early Retirement Incentive Plan (ERIP) gives qualified miners $22,900 (US$15,400) a year until they reach 65, when their mine pension drops to $405 (US$283) a month.

To date, the union presidents from a coalition of the affected unions--the UMWA, Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), and the International Association of Machinists (IAM)--have agreed to exclude miners with under 20 years service from inclusion in the ERIP but to fight for jobs for them. The CAW, CUPE, and the IAM represent a small number of workers involved in transport, safety, and maintenance at the mine. Binder said in an interview, "Originally the package was for all in Devco to be dealt with on the pension. Now it's 20 years and up."

According to Stephen Drake, president of UMWA District 26, the plan put forward by the unions includes $170 million for about a 10-year project for miners under 50 with less than 20 years service to reclaim the land. "Devco is federally responsible for that," he said. "Eight thousand acres need remediation."

The miners who occupied the mine are proud of their action and how they carried it out. Currie explained, "We were in the pit a day before they knew we were there. We left two people behind to spread the word." Binder added, "Everything we did was voted on by all seven. We talked everything out and if there were differences we talked it out until we had agreement."

Miners responded with solidarity when teachers struck the University College of Cape Breton in March, Drake said, helping to get burn barrels set up and the fires going. "We notified our people of a demonstration of the university professors. We met with the student union president. We told him, if you want to help, take sides. Otherwise you will be ineffective. And we think you guys should side with the union," Drake said.

"They decided to do something that would get attention, which was to go in the administration office and lock the door. The next day we got a call from the student union adviser. He wanted us to help them out. We talked about occupying the office. And they shut down the administration. This was a direct result of the miners walkout."  
 
'To be continued'
"We were told not to talk to the media when we came up [from the occupation]," Binder said. "So we made an agreement. We came to the conclusion not to talk. We decided later we would talk to someone. This is the first time."

Ending the interview, Jim Sullivan said, "Keep your bags packed." Fred Currie added, "Put 'To be continued' on the bottom of your article."

Chris Remple is a member of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees in western Pennsylvania. Frank Pickup of Dominion, Nova Scotia, and Nathan Cecckin of Toronto contributed to this article.  
 
 
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