News Release
Office of the Official Opposition

Opposition says anti-scab legislation needed to settle Voisey's Bay strike
May 28, 2007

Liberal Opposition MHAs, Wally Andersen and Yvonne Jones, say that a resolution to the Voisey=s Bay mining strike rests on the shoulders of anti-replacement workers legislation and they have both called on government to add it to their legislative agenda. 

Support staff at the Voisey=s Bay nickel mine have been on strike against the company since last month and replacement workers have been performing their jobs.  This has led to some serious confrontations in recent days which have created concern for workers= safety and morale.  Today in the House of Assembly, the Liberal MHAs questioned government on its intention with respect to this legislation. The minister of Human Resources and Labour, however,  indicated that only a broad review of employee legislation was being undertaken. 

AMany of the people that are affected by this strike are from the aboriginal community and the impact of job disruption  is being felt most seriously by these people,@ says Andersen. AThe north coast of Labrador  waited for many years for good paying jobs and with Voisey=s Bay, they have been able to build a better lifestyle for themselves and obtain the things they consider important.   They are now enduring a hardship, while at the same time watching replacement workers take their jobs. 

AWe are proud of the fact that of the 62 workers employed at the one company, Torngait Services ( TSI), 60 of them are from Labrador and they are involved in running a state-of-the-art mine like Voisey=s Bay.@   

MHA Jones says she fears that the escalating conflict may eventually lead to a far more serious incident. AWe know that there are more than 20 security officers brought in from outside the province to protect replacement workers and this is an indication that the situation is reaching a crisis.  Government should be doing more than engaging the services of a conciliator at this point to help achieve a resolution to this strike before it turns more severe.@

Both the MHAs for Torngat Mountains and Cartwright-L=Anse Au Clair say that the anti-scab legislation is not only critical to this conflict, but it has to be brought in before the closure of this session of the House of Assembly.  AThis strike needs to be settled and the sooner the better for all those involved.@

Media Contact:
Kim Ploughman
Caucus Communications
Office of the Official Opposition
709-729-6427