More Union Issues-From the United Steelworkers Excellon union stirs up trouble for company2011-10-31 12:29 ET - News ReleaseMr. Joe Drexler of United Steelworkers reportsSTEELWORKERS TO EXCELLON RESOURCES: WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?The United Steelworkers (USW) is asking the management of Excellon Resources Inc. a simple question: What are you hiding?The question is in response to what the USW calls a "damning" report issued by Dr. Marketa Evans, the extractive-sector corporate social responsibility (CSR) counsellor for the government of Canada. The report was issued after Excellon refused to provide additional information or engage in further dialogue to resolve labour problems at its Platosa mine, located in Durango, Mexico, and the company's sole source of revenue.The National Union of Mine and Metal Workers of the Mexican Republic (known as Los Mineros), together with the Project on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ProDesc), made the request for the CSR review.The report concluded, "Excellon's decision to withdraw prior to dialogue represents a significant missed opportunity to build deeper understanding of the issues and enhance reputation and risk management." In contrast to Excellon, Los Mineros and ProDesc "repeatedly demonstrated their good faith and desire to move quickly to a mediated dialogue," the report stated."The real losers in the process are the workers and shareholders," said Ken Neumann, USW national director for Canada. "Workers suffer because the company has repeatedly thrown up barriers to being represented by a democratic union, and the shareholders are put at great risk due to continued labour instability and uncertainty created by the unwillingness of management to engage in a fair and open process to end the crisis."In August, trading of the company's shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange was halted after a work stoppage. Excellon still trades mainly as a penny stock due to a lack of earnings, despite the company's claim on its website that it is "Mexico's highest-grade silver producer." The share price still hovers around 60 cents, down from a yearly high of near $1.40."The damning report highlights a disturbing pattern by Excellon management of limited transparency and an unwillingness to exchange conflict for co-operation. Shareholders should be outraged, because without a fair resolution of the labour problems, we believe Excellon cannot increase shareholder value," Mr. Neumann stated.In response to charges made by the USW, Excellon management issued a news release on Oct. 11, 2011, that attempted to portray the labour problems as simply a conflict among competing unions. "Our information shows that Excellon has been complicit in working with employer-dominated unions and the state government to prevent Los Mineros from representing workers at the mine," added Mr. Neumann. "Excellon had an opportunity to substantiate its claims by participating fully in the process with the CSR counsellor. Instead it has created suspicion that it is hiding from the truth and has slapped the government of Canada in the face."While USW appreciates the intervention by the government of Canada, it has been critical of the voluntary nature of the CSR process and is calling for a new mandate to force Canadian mining companies to comply and to institute penalties for human and labour rights abuses.The USW, the largest industrial union in Canada, has a long-standing partnership with Los Mineros. Make no mistake these Unions are not all perfect either!!!!!!