There have been nine strikes and lockouts in the Niagara area in the last year.

The action was held outside the office of the local Conservative Party member of the provincial parliament. Organizers declared opposition to Bill 7, a measure passed in 1995 that--along with attacks on government worker’s rights--gave legal blessing to the bosses’ use of scabs by overturning "anti-scab" legislation of the previous New Democratic Party (NDP) government.

The NDP is a social democratic party linked to the Canadian Labour Congress, the main cross-Canada union federation. Peter Kormos, the NDP member of the provincial parliament from Niagara Centre, was one of the featured speakers.

The rally was organized by the St. Catherines and District Labour Council and Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) Local 199. The local organizes workers at Ronal Canada in Stevensville who have been locked out since October 31. Others participating in the labor action were International Association of Machinists (IAM) Locals 171 and 939, on strike against Fleet Industries plant in Fort Erie; and striking Niagara Motors workers who are also members of CAW Local 199.

Members of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) at Washington Mills who have been on strike for 18 months also attended, along with members of the Teamsters who recently organized a union at a Niagara Falls hotel.

"We will not allow scabs into the plant," IAM local 171 president Julius Antal, representing the Fleet strikers at Fort Erie, told the rally. The Machinists rejected the bosses’ proposal that demanded "the right to recall employees out of seniority based on the company’s need, as determined by the company."

To date the Fort Erie workers’ picket line has prevented the aerospace company from moving in replacement workers. A court injunction obtained by the bosses now limits their ability to hold traffic going into the plant to 10 minutes.

"They don’t treat us with respect, they treat us like animals," said Fleet storekeeper Ovide Lorrin, who has worked 37 years at the plant. Striker Beverly Schneider said that she had received two "termination" notices in the mail--one of the intimidation tactics of the company.

Dan Petrie, a Washington Mills striker, spoke to the crowd. He and the other strikers at the plant that produces abrasives are members of USWA Local 4151. The bosses in the Niagara area "are waging war on us," he said. "They are trying to decisively weaken organized labor in this area and across Canada."

A spokesperson for the workers locked-out at Ronal Canada also addressed the rally. Thirty-seven of the 103 workers at the plant, which is a major supplier of wheels to the auto industry, were locked out October 31. Two days earlier the company had laid off the other 66 workers. The bosses are demanding a 30 percent cut in wages and benefits, along with other concessions.

On March 15 the workers are holding a St. Patrick’s Day fund-raising dance at the CAW hall in St. Catherines. Phone (905) 641-1646 for information.

John Steele is a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers.  
 
 
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