RE:IOC Strike issues don't affect ChampionGoldengreen, it's all about the Federal regulated QNS&L & what constitutes 'essential services' on the line. USW 9344 has already voted to go on strike but cannot until the Canadian industrial relations board decides on exactly what strike action they can take. eg. boycott IOC rail contracts with third companies (rail for CIA & both rail & port handling for Tata's DSO) keeping the line open for essential freight & passengers.
Have a read of this article:
https://journaltdn.ca/motscles/chemin-de-fer-qnsl/
Google translation:
Union members assigned to the railway and port activities at the Rio Tinto IOC mine in Sept-Iles, who overwhelmingly rejected 98% of the latest employer offers on March 29, will not be able to join their 1300 fellow strikers in Labrador City also triggering a parallel strike. This is because they are subject to the standards of the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), an independent quasi-judicial tribunal, under the Canadian legislation governing union certification of USW Local 9344 in Sept-les.
According to USW Regional Coordinator Nicolas Lapierre, union members and the employer have not agreed on the essential services to be maintained during the labor dispute, and both parties will have to comply with the decision of this federal administrative tribunal. responsible for interpreting and enforcing labor relations under the Canada Labor Code in a dispute, which could take a few weeks depending on the union. The fact is that the Septallois Steelworkers of Local 9344 are under federal jurisdiction.
Primordial for Bloom Lake
The QNS & L railway is in part an essential land link for the citizens of Schefferville, as it provides passenger and freight transportation via Tshiuetin Rail Transportation, as well as the transportation of iron ore from the Tata Steel Mine to Schefferville and Quebec Iron Ore (MFQ). Union representative Dany Maltais talks about the importance for MFQ, which has just restarted the mining facilities of the Bloom Lake mine near Fermont, to be able to continue its activities by using this railway for the transportation of ore, since contract is in force with the IOC mine for this purpose.
Executive members of IOC Local 9344 in Sept-les, representing 305 members, recently traveled to Labrador City to support their northern strikers and give them a check for $ 25,000. "It's a message of support to our confreres and unity that we want to send to the employer," said the president of this union unit, Eddy Wright. The 1300 colleagues from Labrador, who work at the mine, went on strike on the night of March 26.
"We can not do the same for now. But we want the negotiations to be successful for both Steelworkers in Sept-les and Labrador City, "said unionist Dany Maltais.
Labrador City Local 5795 President Ron Thomas said talks resumed for the fourth time after a two-week strike on Sept. 13 in Sept-les.
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I assume CIA will be hoping that the whole IOC strike is resolved before the QNS&L workers actually go on strike.
In the meantime it looks like they are being prudent in not booking further ships until the situation becomes clearer.
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