Thousands protest against US Steel in Hamilton

Sunday, 30 Jan 2011
The Hamilton Spectator reported tat thousands of protesters marched against US Steel's lockout of Local 1005 members and jammed the core of Hamilton Saturday to denounce US Steel and Prime Minister Mr Stephen Harper for not protecting worker pensions.
The rally, in support of 900 locked out Hamilton members of the United Steelworkers, attacked the American company for demanding drastic changes to the pension plan and the end of indexing for 9,000 retirees.

Union banners and flags showed the local crowd was swelled by members of the Canadian Auto Workers, Service Employees International Union, McMaster University students, Communication Energy and Paperworkers union and public sector unions including the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
The marchers were exhorted by the presidents of the United Steelworkers, the Canadian Labour Congress, Ontario Federation of Labour and Hamilton and District Labour Council and area NDP members of federal and provincial Parliament.

Speaker after speaker denounced the company’s pension demands as evidence of corporate greed by US Steel and a clear example of the Harper government’s failure to protect workers.
Mr Leo Gerard USW international president said “These fights are happening across the country now. Everywhere on earth, these corporate bastards are trying to pick our pockets. I’ll be damned if I’m going to stand by and let them take our pensions. We have to demand that Harper stand up for Canada.”

Mr Rolf Gerstenberger, president of USW Local 1005, said Saturday’s protest is only the latest in an ongoing round of efforts to draw attention to the concerns of both his members and Canadian industry. He said “This is a historic gathering that makes a historic statement. We are in a crisis and that crisis has to be resolved in favor of the people, not the rich. This is a struggle for a sovereign Canada and a diverse economy that includes manufacturing.’
The next round will be staged May 1 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

US Steel was given federal government approval to buy the former Stelco in 2007. To get that approval it promised a “net benefit” to Canada by maintaining jobs and production for three years. Within two years, however, the company’s Hamilton plants had been shut down twice and their work transferred to American mills. Now it is demanding the current defined-benefit pension plan be closed to new members in favor of a defined contribution system. It also wants an end to annual increases for current retirees.(Sourced from thespec.com)