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February 7, 2012 - No. 13 Alma Workers Pursue Fight for Their Rights Stop the Sale of RTA Electricity to
Hydro-Quebec!
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 "Keep our quality jobs for the future of the region. Discounted electricity for RTA equals quality jobs." |
During this lockout, RTA is selling electricity to Hydro-Quebec. Claudine Gagnon, the person responsible for public relations at RTA confirmed in the mass media, "Any surplus [electricity during the lockout] will be fully routed to the Hydro-Quebec network." RTA has since contradicted Gagnon's assertion and the Quebec government has neither confirmed nor denied the purchase of private RTA electricity.
RTA owns six hydro-electrical generating stations, three located on the Péribonka River and another three on the Saguenay. They have the capacity to produce on average over 2,000 megawatts annually, which meets 90 per cent of RTA's electrical demand to produce aluminum in Quebec at full capacity utilization, which is well above the aluminum industry global standard for the production of electricity within a particular monopoly. The market price of the private electricity RTA provides itself is in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The sale of even a small percentage provides RTA an enormous windfall, which acts as an incentive to continue the unjust lockout and not to produce aluminum in Quebec depriving the socialized economy and people of necessary social wealth.
Aluminum workers report that RTA's hydro power centrals are producing electricity at what appears to be full capacity. With the unjust lockout at RTA's Alma plant reducing production by 70 per cent and production at the Shawinigan and Arvida plants at 50 per cent, the electricity has to be going somewhere and the only place is into Hydro-Quebec's network at a big price. Hydro- Quebec, which has four interconnections with RTA's private grid, says any purchase of electricity from RTA is a private matter and the public has no business knowing the details.
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean 2005 Referendum Represents the Popular Will
Some of the names of all those who support the Alma workers from far and wide.
The actions of RTA, Hydro-Quebec and the Charest Liberal government are in direct violation of the public interest and the popular will of the people of the region and their desire to exercise control over their socialized economy including importantly the natural resources and hydro-electric power. This popular will was well expressed in a regional referendum held in conjunction with municipal elections November 6, 2005. Ninety-two point five per cent voted "yes" to the following question:
"Do you accept giving your municipality the mandate to reach an agreement with the Quebec government on the management of natural resources, based on the following two principles: that our natural resources (land, forest, water and mines), as well as the royalties paid for their use and the public jobs required to manage them, should be administered by the region; and that all the private energy, produced in the region for industrial purposes, should exclusively serve industrial development and the creation of jobs in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean?"*
 "Charest: Your next mandate from the people." |
The referendum and overwhelming approval of its main thrust express not only the popular will but also the frustration the people feel that their popular will is being blocked from becoming the legal will. The question and response clearly demand that the Quebec government stop violating the popular will and let the people of the region control their socialized economy.
RTA must not be allowed to sell its private electricity to Hydro-Quebec and the Quebec government must be held to account. Beyond this clear demand the people must question how the private interests of a monopoly such as RTA and its monopoly will become the legal will of the state.
The Quebec government never acted on the overwhelming support given the 2005 referendum. The Liberal regime continues to trample on the popular will representing the public interests of the people of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and Quebec. The government must be held to account for its subservience to private monopoly interests and opposition to the public interest. The popular will of the people must become the legal will. The problem posed for the people, especially the working class, is how to organize to solve this political problem in practice.
Stop the sale of RTA electricity to
Hydro-Quebec!
Hold the Quebec government accountable to the people!
* Translated from original French by TML Daily.
Questioning Rio Tinto's Claims That
It's Not Selling Electricity
TML Daily is posting below an extract from a letter to the editor of Le Bulletin regionale published January 24, entitled, "Hynotizing the People -- RTA Says It's Not Selling Electricity."
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Rio Tinto Alcan (RTA) says its not selling electricity. I will give an overview of the present consumption at the plants. The Alma plant is operating at 30 percent, the Shawinigan plant at 50 percent, the Arvida plant with the Soderbergs closed is operating at 50 percent capacity. Normally there should be a surplus of electricity.
Supposing they aren't selling electricity, a good manager would use the decreased production to increase [the water levels of] the reservoirs upstream from Lac Saint-Jean. So why are the turbines at the Isle Maligne dam working at full capacity?
According to Statistics Canada, 2011 was not a record year for precipitation, but it was a little above average levels for our region. Over the years, the above-mentioned plants operated at an energy capacity based on precipitation levels.
With the dams functioning at full capacity, I worry about the summer. I'm sure they'll announce a water shortage in the reservoirs and that as a result they should reorganize their production. Electricity pays a lot more than aluminum production.
RTA managers want competition to favour our aluminum plants for the future. The dams produce clean and seemingly endless energy, at an insignificant cost now and for years to come.
If we
compare with our competitors, many use fossil fuel to power their
plants. If we look at the costs of oil that continues
to rise, what will those aluminum producers' costs of production look
like in 20 or 40 years? RTA already sets itself apart with Quebec's
"blue gold." That's their economic motor. It's only normal that the
people should get a return in the form of quality jobs. [...]
Francis Ouellet,
St-Bruno
(Translated from original French by TML Daily)
Local Initiatives
Car caravan in support of Alma workers, January 26, 20112. (STAA)
More and more people are undertaking initiatives to build support for the locked out Rio Tinto workers in Alma, Quebec. On January 26, a resident from l'Ascension, a small municipality nearby organized a caravan of cars that circulated for more than an hour in the streets of Alma with union flags and ribbons. The action began with just a few cars but in a matter of minutes there were more than 250. "I have no connection at all with the workers besides having a neighbour who works at the plant," said the young woman. "This came from the heart, to defend the jobs we have and jobs for the future. I did it so people realize what is going on with this multinational corporation that lives in its ivory tower and tries to play with us as if we were on a chess board. I am very moved by this struggle," she added, "These workers are giving everything they have; they are going without their wages so we, the youth, will continue to have decent wages in the region."
The caravan passed in front of the local union office where they were greeted by over 50 workers waving their signs and flags, deeply moved by such a demonstration of support. The caravan then proceeded to the workers' two picket lines.
"It's so heartwarming to see this," said workers on the lines. In their homes people were flashing their lights on and off, and those on the sidewalks waved in support as drivers honked horns to wish the Alma workers success.
As the action concluded, people discussed organizing more actions in the city to support the Alma workers.
Union to Meet with Mediator
At the union's request, on February 13 the executive of the Syndicat des travailleurs d'aluminium d'Alma will meet with the mediator appointed by the Quebec Ministry of Labour in December 2011. This will be a meeting between the mediator and the union only. There have been no talks between the union and Rio Tinto since the company locked out the workers during the night on New Years' Day, 24 hours after sending 150 security guards to brutally expel the workers doing their shift.
Speaking to community groups
in Alma, union President
Marc Maltais said the union is open to returning to the bargaining
table and pointed out once again that the workers have no wage or
benefit demands for themselves in the current dispute. "This is a fight
to secure quality jobs over the long term for the sake
of the whole region," he stated.
He added that this is also a fight to get Rio Tinto to recognize the union as the legitimate representative of the workers. "The company refuses to listen to what we have to say. It has the means to end this dispute by recognizing the union. We are not asking to be the managers of the facility. We are asking to be [recognized as] those who do the work."
He said the length of the dispute depends on Rio Tinto's executives. "If there is someone who knows how long this is going to last, it is Étienne Jacques [Rio Tinto's chief operating officer, primary metal, North America]. He has the power to decide. What I am worried about is that the conflict is going to be a long one, and our government is just observing what is happening and letting these things pass. You cannot be neutral in a conflict like this. We are being attacked by a multinational corporation."
Quebec Union Central Delegation Visits Alma Workers
President of the Confederation of National Trade Unions Louis Roy (left) and Alain Lampron, President of the Fédération
de l'Industrie manufacturière visit Alma, February 3, 2012. Also pictured at far right is Marc Maltais, President of the
Syndicat des travailleurs de l'aluminium d'Alma. (STAA)
On February 3, a delegation representing the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN) paid a visit to the locked out workers in Alma to express their support for their fight. The CSN is the second largest union central in Quebec next to the Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ), the latter of which the Alma workers are affiliated with. The delegation was headed by CSN President Louis Roy and Alain Lampron, President of the Fédération de l'Industrie manufacturière which represents 30,000 manufacturing workers across Quebec including Rio Tinto workers like those at the aluminum smelter in Shawinigan and the iron and titanium workers in Sorel-Tracy.
Roy stated, "We of the CSN are here today because we recognize you are on the front lines and we are with you because we are all going to have to wage this battle in the coming period. We are facing companies like yours that are attempting to set us back 100-150 years. Why is this the case? What are they trying to destroy? Yes, they want to degrade our working conditions but what they are trying to break is the workers' solidarity with each other. They want to get rid of organizations such as yours that are on their feet and standing up to them."
He said that once monopolies such as Rio Tinto are able to impose measures such as the unfettered use of subcontracting on workers in one place, they try to impose it on all workers. "In some places they were not able to impose this and now is the time to stop them because once these companies get in gear they don't stop. There is no way we are going to let them take on the Alma union and impose subcontracting," he added.
Alain Lampron brought the greetings of the Federation de l'Industrie manufacturière and pointed out that labour relations have deteriorated considerably since Rio Tinto took control of Alcan. He stated that all workers are united in this fight which goes beyond trade union affiliations.
On behalf of the Syndicat des travailleurs de
l'aluminium d'Alma,
union president Marc Maltais warmly thanked the CSN delegation and
declared that
the fighting unity of all workers is what is needed to win this battle.
Rio Tinto's European Works Council
Protests Lockout
In a February 6 press release, the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) informed that the European Works Council (EWC) of Rio Tinto last week condemned the global minerals and metal producer for its unwarranted lockout of the 780 members of Local 9490 of the United Steelworkers (USW), the Syndicat des travailleurs d'aluminium d'Alma.
Rio Tinto's EWC Secretary Véronique Roche said the EWC has found that Rio Tinto Alcan management failed to even consider proposals made by the union, calling this a "destructive and socially irresponsible position."
The intervention made by Roche from Paris comes at a time when the USW along with the ICEM and the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) are intensifying a campaign to bring attention and pressure on the multinational in support of the aluminium smelter workers in Alma.
The ICEM press release also informs that a mass protest of national and global trade unionists will take place in Alma -- some 380 kilometres north of Alcan's headquarters in Montreal -- on March 31. This will come a day after the ICEM North America Region holds its committee meeting in the region as a show of support for the Alma workers.
A letter-writing campaign undertaken by ICEM and IMF their global affiliates in late January, in the form of letters to Rio Tinto's President and CEO Tom Albanese, was met with the following response: the company turned off its fax machines a day later to avoid the deluge of written protests.
The pressure continues nonetheless. A February 2 letter added to Albanese stated in part: "Please know that our European forum will stand alongside the United Steelworkers in all organised efforts in Europe and elsewhere, and we will participate in actions deemed necessary by the USW to repel this anti-social attack."
Most recently, the EWC has demanded that Rio Tinto end the lockout and order local management back to the bargaining table to negotiate a fair, equitable and acceptable labour agreement with workers that does not decimate the economic well-being of the community.
(ICEM)
Unacceptable Destruction of Manufacturing
Closure of Productive Household Appliance Factory
In another blow to the
industrial sector in Montreal
East, the Mabe
factory, formerly CAMECO, (which was majority owned by GE), will close
its doors by the end of 2014. This was announced by head office to the
600 workers in the factory, which has been in operation for more than
60 years. The closure
comes despite numerous concessions on behalf of the workers in 2006 to
save the plant. The capital-centred reasons given by management are the
same as those put forward by other monopolies to justify their
anti-social decisions: that the "cost of labour" and the parity of the
Canadian dollar against the U.S. dollar
have made it impossible for the factory to remain competitive.
Mabe is a Mexican monopoly that also has plants in the U.S. and Mexico. In 2008 Mabe transferred a part of production at its Quebec operations to its Mexican factories, and in 2009 it laid off 150 workers due to the loss of its contract with the monopoly Home Depot. The bulk of the Quebec production is sold in the U.S. and now the company is using the drop in sales in the U.S. to justify the closure. Mabe's management rejected outright the possibility of reversing its decision, even with more concessions from the workers and government grants. According to statements by management, it is not possible to produce appliances in Quebec and remain competitive.
 Protest against the closure of the Goodyear tire plant in Valleyfield, February, 3, 2007. |
This factory closure is in addition to many others that
have already
taken place in the first few weeks of 2012 including White Birch in
Stadacona, near Quebec, Chysotyle Labs in Beauce, the Sleeping Giant
mine in North Eastern Quebec, the Maniwaki mill (collateral damage from
the White Birch closure),
the Cedrico factory closures at Salmon Lake and Martre, and
others. Despite the announcement of the reopening of the Domtar
plant in
Lebel sur Quevillon, pompously announced by Jean Charest himself
earlier this week (in which Fortress Papers received a $120 million
interest
free loan over 10 years), the nation-wrecking of the regions of Quebec
including its urban centres, continues at
an accelerated pace. This new closure was announced by the monopoly
media as inevitable and the only possible solution. No alternative was
raised about an eventual reopening of the factory. It's closed,
period.
The government proclaims its so-called indignation for a day or two and
that's it.
Quebec workers must resolutely oppose this climate of inevitability put forward by the monopolies and their political representatives. This climate sows confusion and would have us believe that factory closures are a routine and common practice, while the workers' role is to be passive victims of this wrecking. There is nothing routine about closing a productive entity, such as the Mabe factory. This decision has serious, irreversible consequences on thousands of workers and the economy in general. Let us end the senseless logic of the rich. A new direction for the economy is possible if the workers themselves take up the responsibility of developing their own pro-social program that will end the destructive madness of the monopolies.
(Translated from original French by TML Daily)
Another Rotten Free Trade Agreement
Canadian Livestock Exports Mean Disaster for Philippine Producers
On January 24 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced that the government of the Philippines has agreed to open its domestic market to Canadian exports of live cattle, sheep and goats. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said: "Step by step, market by market, the Harper government is working closely with industry to increase market access for Canada's safe, high quality products, in turn driving profitability for our producers and growing our economy."
Minister of International
Trade Ed Fast noted: "Canada
welcomes this decision by the Philippines. This is yet another win for
Canadian workers and producers and their families. Our government
understands the importance for our farmers and producers to gain access
to new markets. We will continue
to work on their behalf because we know that free and open trade is the
best way to create jobs and prosperity for hardworking Canadians."
While the export of livestock may benefit a small group of monopolies in Canada, it will be a disaster for the majority of small and medium scale cattle, sheep and goat producers in the Philippines and cause hardship for the people of the Philippines.
Beef, sheep and goat constitute about 10 per cent of the total meat consumption in the Philippines. The main meat consumption is in pork and poultry. The issue is that the vast majority of cattle, goat and sheep farms in the Philippines are small and medium scale. They are not in a position to compete with the large commercial livestock monopolies from Canada. The decision of the Philippine government to allow the import of Canadian cattle, beef and sheep, will lead to the ruin and displacement of local producers of these meats, and cause further food insecurity for the Philippine people.
Many Canadians are not aware that the Canadian government is directly involved in the displacement of the Filipinos through the loss of their lands and livelihoods. For instance, several Canadian mining companies have been operating in the Philippines against the wishes of local people -- in many cases indigenous peoples. When they organize to defend their rights and protect their mineral wealth from foreign exploiters they are confronted by para-military forces, indirectly funded by the Canadian government through state agencies such as the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA),
The domination of the
Philippine economy by foreign
monopolies from the U.S., Canada, Japan and others result in double
exploitation. These monopolies displace domestic industry and
agriculture, or exploit local workers and resources. Then as a result
tens of thousands of Filipinos are forced to
migrate abroad in search of a future for themselves. Their families are
split up, triggering cycles of hardship and brutal exploitation and
abuse as highly educated Filipinos often end up working as domestic
workers, migrant workers and temporary foreign
workers in countries like Canada.
Canada's "Strategy for the Philippines 2008-2009" states that the Philippines is the "third largest source for Permanent Residents to Canada, the No 1 source country for Provincial Nominees, and is among the top sources for temporary workers."
Canadians need to inform themselves on the social conditions facing the people of the Philippines and the crimes being committed in their name by the Harper government against Filipinos at home and abroad. Canadians and Filipinos have common cause to oppose Anglo-American imperialism in which the Canadian state is playing an increasingly bigger role.
* Rick Esguerra is a spokesperson for the Philippine Solidarity Network in Canada, a defence organization for the more than half million strong Filipino national minority in Canada.
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