Flin Flon, Manitoba — The heads of the unions representing the seven individual local
unions at Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting (HBMS) met on May 11, 2011 during the
Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) convention. The purpose of the meeting was to
discuss how we can collectively advance the interests of the members at HBMS through
coordinated structures and strategies.
All the unions agree that there is a need for all of the unions and local unions to work
together so that we can present a common front later this year and, importantly, in the
lead-up to the bargaining when the long-term contract expires in the coming years.
As the members of all of the unions know, when companies can divide the workforce,
they are able to hold down wages, benefits and other important rights. HBMS is no
different and would like nothing more than our unions to be divided or distracted by interunion
conflicts.
At our meeting, all of the unions agreed that the best course of action is to start to
develop a council of unions at HBMS, which will provide the structure to present a
common front at bargaining while preserving the independence of each individual,
constituent union to represent members on day-to-day issues. The council would also
provide an avenue for the locals to share information, conduct joint training and union
education and generally prepare for collective bargaining with Hudson Bay Mining and
Smelting.
Many of the unions have experience in other sectors and provinces with council
structures and we believe that we can design something that will preserve the best of
the current structure while ensuring that we build power and achieve the solidarity and
strength needed to confront HBMS at the bargaining table.
unions at Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting (HBMS) met on May 11, 2011 during the
Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) convention. The purpose of the meeting was to
discuss how we can collectively advance the interests of the members at HBMS through
coordinated structures and strategies.
All the unions agree that there is a need for all of the unions and local unions to work
together so that we can present a common front later this year and, importantly, in the
lead-up to the bargaining when the long-term contract expires in the coming years.
As the members of all of the unions know, when companies can divide the workforce,
they are able to hold down wages, benefits and other important rights. HBMS is no
different and would like nothing more than our unions to be divided or distracted by interunion
conflicts.
At our meeting, all of the unions agreed that the best course of action is to start to
develop a council of unions at HBMS, which will provide the structure to present a
common front at bargaining while preserving the independence of each individual,
constituent union to represent members on day-to-day issues. The council would also
provide an avenue for the locals to share information, conduct joint training and union
education and generally prepare for collective bargaining with Hudson Bay Mining and
Smelting.
Many of the unions have experience in other sectors and provinces with council
structures and we believe that we can design something that will preserve the best of
the current structure while ensuring that we build power and achieve the solidarity and
strength needed to confront HBMS at the bargaining table.