I went with friends to the bar on Saturday and I was a little perplexed to see a lot of dark complexions on the dance floor. Inco, which has been the backbone of Sudbury is trying to keep the mine up and running during the strike by having temporary workers from Brazil flown in. Well I guess they were celebrating there first paycheck because they were everywhere at the bar. Rumour has it that they have to helicopter these workers in to avoid violence on the picket lines.

Inco which was bought by a Brazilian company went on strike as a result of the company downgrading pension plans and salaries. One good point brought up in this article is that the mine(s) are in the hands of a Brazilian company and name now, however this is Canada and you cannot treat or run your company like a third world country.

The mining industry here is the livelihood of this city and unfortunately what Sudbury’s foundation was built on is being striped away, first laying off workers, slicing salaries, pension plans, and changing the company name. No, I’m not from a mining family, or the daughter of a miner, but it affects everyone. I’m a student, going into my third year of university away from home and cannot find a summer job.

The strike has been 11 months now, and a year coming up shortly. It is about time the workers who have put their blood, sweat, time, lives into the mining industry get what they rightfully deserve and their families that stand behind them. Sadly the Ontario Labour Board has not stepped in as much as they should be to properly address this pressing issue that has come full circle and really affected the entire city of Sudbury. Northern Ontario is very different from Southern Ontario and Queen’s Park needs to realize how big Ontario is and stop forgetting about the North and the fact it is inhabited and what is at stake.

This article from the Toronto Star is well put.

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/819684—inside-sudbury-s-bitter-vale-strike#article