IOC workers in Labrador West to vote Thursday on creating temporary workforce

More than half of the unionized workers at the Iron Ore Company of Canada mine in Labrador City came out to a meeting Tuesday night to get details of a proposal to create a temporary workforce, an idea that will be put to a vote on Thursday.

The idea behind hiring on union members as temporary workers is meant to replace the contractors who are being used by IOC for certain jobs in the mine, work the union feels its members have the expertise to do.

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"There was a lot of questions, a lot of concerns about it," said Ron Thomas, President of the Steelworkers Union in Labrador City, estimating about 60 per cent of the union membership was at the meeting, with another session scheduled for Wednesday evening.

"We endorsed it, and we're hoping our members will look into it and see some positive to it."

The temporary workers won't be full-time hires, but Thomas said they would have a benefits such as dental and health coverage, and be able to access the collective agreement after a probation period.

If voted through, the proposal would go into effect for a six-month trial period, with both the union and IOC management reassessing its success after that time.

"That's the biggest thing. If it don't work, we can cancel after that six months," said Thomas.

Lack of trust

Thomas said the union is trying to take steps to repair a fractured relationship with IOC management.

"There's a lot of lack of trust with this company, because we've just had a poor relationship with this company for quite some time," he said, adding the union has 3,500 grievances referred to arbitration.

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Thomas said union members have that fresh in their minds as they mull over the temporary workforce proposal, but that this could hopefully represent a step away from the negativity.

"At some point we got to break the ice and see if we can try to improve."