Vol. 71/No. 30      August 20, 2007

The lockout sparked a wave of strikes at Solid Energy mines nationwide. Miners at nearby Huntly East mine, and at Spring Creek, Terrace, Ohau, and New Vale mines all struck in support of the Rotowaro unionists.

“This was only achieved through the combined strength of miners from across the country working together,” EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said in a press release.

More than 800 miners around the country have joined rolling strikes and overtime bans to press for a wage increase as part of a new collective agreement. In early July, miners at Spring Creek and Terrace struck for 11 days. Rotowaro miners won a night shift allowance of NZ$10 a night (NZ$1 = US$0.77), a production bonus, and a 4.5 percent wage increase. They had been seeking a 5 percent increase.

—Terry Coggan

UK postal strikers oppose
attacks on pay, jobs, union
LONDON, July 12—Tens of thousands of postal workers held a 24-hour strike today across the country. It was their second one-day walkout in two months.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) reported a 90 percent turnout of its 130,000 members, with limited operations covered by managers. The workers have rejected Royal Mail’s offer, which includes a below-inflation 2.5 percent pay raise, job cuts, and worse working conditions. The CWU says the offer would cut 40,000 jobs.

At a rally of 100 in East London, one young picket, Barry Ellis, said in an interview, “It’s not just about pay. They are attacking our conditions and bypassing the union. They’re trying to weaken us and we need to defend ourselves.”

—Celia Pugh

7,000 workers shut down forest
industry in British Columbia
VANCOUVER, British Columbia—Seven thousand forest workers organized by the United Steelworkers have shut down all forestry operation along the coast of British Columbia. Shifts, safety, use of nonunion contractors, and severance pay are the main issues in the strike.

After the last woodworkers’ strike in 2003, a 10-hour shift limit was set for “physically demanding and dangerous” jobs, Bob Matters, chair of the Wood Council of the United Steelworkers, told the Militant. “Yet the companies have been imposing 12-hour shifts at will, despite the 10 hour ruling, and despite the fact that most jobs are physically demanding and dangerous. This is a safety issue,” he said.

Seventy-one workers in the forest industry were killed on the job between 2004 to 2006.

Bob Danick, union plant chair at CIPA Forest Products, on Annacis Island here, said in an interview that 10-day work schedules prevent workers from spending weekends with their families. “This strike is about having a say in how you live your life,” he said.

“I’m not willing to have my livelihood disrupted for profits,” picket Chris Nelson added.

—Ned Dmytryshyn  
 
 
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