Alcoa Must Pay for Its Reserved
Preferential Rate Energy Block!
All Out for ABI Workers' Energy March!
On March 26 and 27, ABI
locked-out workers and their allies are organizing an Energy March. It
is a two-stage event: a march in the city of Trois-Rivières on
March 26 and a march in Quebec City on March 27, ending at 11:00 am
with a ceremony in front of the National Assembly.[1] The
ABI workers' many supporters are invited to join the marchers and
welcome them upon their arrival at the National Assembly.
The march's aim is to have the energy contract between
the Government of Quebec, Hydro-Québec and Alcoa reopened.
According to the government, the contract frees Alcoa from having to
pay for its reserved, preferential rate energy block in the case of a
lockout, which is described as a "force majeure" beyond its control.
The
contract is not a mutually beneficial business agreement, as the
company's unilateral dictate is imposed on the workers and society,
with the assistance of the government.
The outgoing and incoming Presidents of the
14,000 unionized workers at
Hydro-Québec delivered a message of continuing support for the
locked out ABI workers to Quebec Director of USW, Alain Croteau, March
13, 2019.
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The Quebec government is extremely complacent and
deceitful in this matter. It falsely claims that nothing can be done
unless the contract is reopened, which of course it is not willing to
do. At the same time, it refuses to enforce the contract's terms, which
clearly state that a "force majeure" must be an "unforeseeable,
irresistible event
beyond the control of a Party that delays, interrupts or impedes the
performance, in whole or in part, by that Party of its obligations
under the Contract." Alcoa itself is responsible for the lockout, as
the company planned and decreed it and the course of events has shown
that it did so to smash the union and lower the working and living
conditions
at ABI and in the community. It did so while rejecting the bargaining
efforts of the workers, who even agreed to concessions to arrive at a
negotiated settlement that would not eliminate their gains over the
years and would respect the union. The lockout cannot be considered a
"force majeure" even within the contract's terms.
In refusing to take up its responsibility, the Legault
government is assisting in prolonging the lockout and giving the
message to all supranational private interests that making "Quebec open
for business" means that in Quebec the oligopolies are free to act with
impunity against workers, communities and society, which is
unacceptable. The government must do its duty and force ABI to respect
its contract by paying for the block of energy reserved for it at
preferential rates. It must apply pressure on Alcoa to lift the lockout
and negotiate with the workers and their union so that a collective
agreement, which they consider acceptable, can be reached.
Note
1. The United Steelworkers
describe the two-stage march as follows:
Tuesday, March 26: Trois-Rivières leg,
ending in the Ste-Marthe-du-Cap sector
Meet at 8:30 am at Stade Stereo Plus Parking Lot, 1550
Gilles-Villeneuve Avenue, Trois-Rivières. March to the office of
Labour Minister Jean Boulet
(1500 Royale Street in Trois-Rivières)
The march takes place between 10:00 am and noon.
Departure from
Labour Minister Jean Boulet's office is followed by a BBQ in the
parking
lot of the Sanctuary, courtesy of the FTQ-Construction. Shuttle buses
will bring participants back to Stade Stereo Plus at the end of the
activity.
Wednesday, March 27: Laurier Place leg, on
Boulevard Laurier in Quebec City to the National Assembly
March departs from Place Laurier at 9:00 am. Rally
begins at the National Assembly at 11:00 am.
Everyone is invited to accompany the marchers, or join
them at 11:00 am in front of the National Assembly (a shuttle
bus will be made available for those wishing to return to Laurier Place
at the end of the event)
If you are interested or want further information,
please contact Daniel Mallette at 450-567-0170.
This article was published in
Number 10 - March
21, 2019
Article Link:
Alcoa
Must Pay for Its Reserved
Preferential Rate Energy Block!: All Out for ABI Workers' Energy March!
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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