Barrett calls on government to help steelworkers get back to work

“I was at US Steel Nanticoke last night. A thousand Steelworkers are locked out—the third lockout in three years between Lake Erie and the Hamilton works.” Barrett stated in the preamble to a question to the Deputy Premier today. “A thousand steel jobs support 4,000 others and up to 9,000 jobs can be affected.

“Ontario has already lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs. Look at London. Deputy Premier, what are you doing about these lockouts?…What are you doing? Have you talked to the company? Have you talked to the union? What steps are you taking to get Steelworkers back to work?

The Deputy Premier, obviously at a loss for words, punted the question to the Minister of Labour.

“Ontario has 600,000 people out of work. Jobs are fleeing the province,” Barrett went on to say. “Look at London: 9.9% unemployment. Caterpillar closed Electro-Motive and moved to Indiana. Now they’re closing Toronto and moving to Michigan. And here we have the third US Steel lockout in three years. I’ve been talking to the union, I’ve been talking to the company. We have government for a reason. Will you personally pull all sides together, at least call a meeting personally?

“The steel business has changed. Your approach has not changed. You’re getting rusty,” Barrett shot back in his supplementary question. “Please explain: What are you doing to deal with this new reality, not only in the steel business but in Ontario’s manufacturing in general?”

With the Minister choosing to laud the importance of mediation without mention of any action steps to get Steelworkers back to work, Barrett registered his dissatisfaction with the Clerk, leading to a more fulsome late-show debate on the subject Tuesday evening.

-30-

For more information contact Toby Barrett 519-428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629

 

 

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO HANSARD

Monday 13 May 2013 LABOUR DISPUTE Mr. Toby Barrett: To the Deputy Premier: I was at US Steel Nanticoke last night. A thousand Steelworkers are locked out—the third lockout in three years between Lake Erie and the Hamilton works. A thousand steel jobs support 4,000 others and up to 9,000 jobs can be affected. Ontario has already lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs. Look at London. Deputy Premier, what are you doing about these lockouts? A government mediator was involved. I asked your government what does the mediator do, and I was told that can’t be divulged. What is he doing? What are you doing? Have you talked to the company? Have you talked to the union? What steps are you taking to get Steelworkers back to work? Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the Minister of Labour. Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I thank the member opposite for raising an important question. Speaker, as we all know, some negotiations are very challenging and some take place in the public eye. I want to commend all those who represent employers and unions at the negotiating table who have come together to develop a strategy that could work for both of them. We know that agreements that are reached around the negotiating table are the best ones, and we really encourage in this situation for both parties to come back to the table. As the member opposite noted, a Ministry of Labour mediator has been engaged in the negotiation. The mediator has been assisting the parties and has met with the parties on seven different occasions. Our services are still available. We encourage the parties to come back to the negotiating table. We are willing to facilitate that conversation and come out with a negotiated settlement that will be in the best interests of all parties. The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary? Mr. Toby Barrett: Ontario has 600,000 people out of work. Jobs are fleeing the province. Look at London: 9.9% unemployment. Caterpillar closed Electro-Motive and moved to Indiana. Now they’re closing Toronto and moving to Michigan. And here we have the third US Steel lockout in three years. What have you learned from that? What have you done? I’ve been talking to the union, I’ve been talking to the company. We have government for a reason. Will you personally pull all sides together, at least call a meeting personally? The steel business has changed. Your approach has not changed. You’re getting rusty. Please explain: What are you doing to deal with this new reality, not only in the steel business but in Ontario’s manufacturing in general? Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I think the member opposite knows exactly how the labour relations process works, where both parties need to come together on their own will around the table and be able to negotiate a settlement. I think the member opposite also knows the role of the government or that of the Ministry of Labour is to mediate or facilitate that conversation, and our mediators are available. They have participated in the process on seven different occasions and they are willing to get the parties back, but both parties have to agree to do so. Now, what’s concerning is the approach that the party opposite continues to raise, and that is their right-to-work-for-less strategy. We know, Speaker, that approach does not work either, so I ask the member to stop advocating for a system that will take a race to the bottom for workers, and ensure that we have a robust labour relations process, like we have in the Ontario Labour Relations Act. I encourage both parties, in the case of US Steel Canada Lake Erie Works, to come together and negotiate a final settlement.