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...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... "...the union intends to negotiate a bonus pay system that is linked to the price the company receives for its potash sales." ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 AUGUST 2008 – Union Puts Pressure on Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan as Strike is in Third Week SASKATOON, SK – As the Steelworkers strike against the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS) is in its third week the union has continued putting pressure on the company to return to the bargaining table and negotiate collective agreements that address numerous outstanding issues including a fair sharing of the corporation’s record profits. In 2007, PCS made an astronomical $1.1 billion in profits, $16.1 million which were paid out in bonuses and stock options to company president Bill Doyle, who this year has his stock options estimated to be worth some $600-million. On Friday some 500 striking members from PSC operations in Cory (LU 7458), Allan (LU 7689) and Patience Lake (LU 189), family members and labour and community allies, held a rally outside PCS’s downtown headquarters here, calling for a return to the bargaining table. Steelworkers District 3 Director Stephen Hunt called on PCS to stop posturing in the media and withdraw its erroneous statement that the union is demanding bonus payments of $157,000 for each worker. He said that the union intends to negotiate a bonus pay system that is linked to the price the company receives for its potash sales. If the price would drop off, then bonus payments would naturally be reduced. Other key issues to be resolved at the table are include include wage increases, the pension plan, contracting out, and vacations. USW National Director for Canada Ken Neumann said that the people of Saskatchewan are not receiving enough revenue from the sale of the natural resource and that PCS (a Crown Corporation between 1975 and 1989) profits tripled in the second quarter of 2008 while royalties lagged far behind. He also noted that PCS pays lower wages than other Canadian mining operations. Saskatchewan Federation of Labour President Larry Hubich said that workers wages gains are being wiped out by inflation and brought the pledge of support from SFL affiliate unions. Earlier in the day a USW delegation of Hunt, Neumann, staff rep Lee Edwards, local union bargaining committee members and Roger Falconer, head of the union’s strategic campaigns department, met with NDP members of the legislative assembly to discuss strike issues and the issue of Potash royalties to government coffers. Representing the NDP was Labour Critic Andy Iwanchuck from Saskatoon Fairview, Cam Broten from Saskatoon Massey Place, and Social Services critic David Forbes from Saskatoon Centre. “We spoke to the NDP about the fact that not only our members getting short-changed, the entire province of Saskatchewan is getting short-change on resource revenues from PCS,” says Brother Hunt. Early Friday morning Brothers Hunt and Neumann visited picketers at PCS Cory Site, just southwest of Saskatoon. And a day earlier the USW signed a JOINT SOLIDARITY STATEMENT calling for an industry-wide collaboration among trade unions to support potash sector workers. Also signing the statement was the Communication, Energy and Paperworkers Union (which represent potash workers at two mines), the Saskatchewan Federation of Labor and the Canadian Labour Congress. On August 20, the mining unions got together for a meeting to express their solidarity for the three striking USW locals. At the meeting were reps also from USW Locals 7552 (Agrium Potash in Vanscoy) and 7656 (Mosaic Potash in Colonsay) and CEP Locals 922 and 892. The signatories will work together and in coordination with the SFL and CLC to support each other reach bargaining objectives and achieve just settlements for all potash workers. Quelle: www.usw.ca/program/content/5268.php |
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| aus der Diskussion: | Bei Kali & Salz (716200) sind größere Kursverluste zu erwarten !!! |
| Autor (Datum des Eintrages): | GRUENDERZEIT (26.08.08 22:39:10) |
| Beitrag: | 6,504 von 13,283 (ID:34871626) |
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