It has now been three and a half months since LafargeHolcim locked out United Steelworkers Local 816 workers at Texada Quarrying. Since October 17, approximately 65 union workers at the Texada Island rock quarry have been without a paycheque, through the Christmas season and now into what, for some, is the most difficult financial time of the year. Especially when you don’t have a job.
While the union and company representatives attempt to come to an agreement over issues surrounding seniority rights, families on Texada and here in Powell River, where some of the employees reside, are hurting. According to union representatives, some workers are worried they may lose their houses.
Despite almost having a deal done before the holidays, talks fell apart when what the company said it would bring back to the bargaining table did not mesh with what union bargainers expected. Whether it was pure inexperience on the part of LafargeHolcim’s negotiators, or something more underhanded, union representatives came away from bargaining without a deal for the workers.
Locked-out union members and their families are now calling for more support from the community and hoping extra public pressure will help facilitate a deal.
Administrative staff doing union work has backfired on the company; the biggest example being a broken barge loader after non-union staff attempted to run machinery they were unqualified to operate. Very costly to repair, the money would have been better spent on a new union contract.
The Texada Quarrying lockout is the unfortunate result of what can go wrong when corporate and union heels are dug in and companies are not able to find a way to give their workers seniority rights.
In the grand scheme of a large company’s operation, seniority rights are something that should be honoured. To attempt to take them away from workers who have been at a job upward of 30 years is unfair and unwarranted.
LafargeHolcim and United Steelworkers Local 816 need to consider very carefully the ramifications of leaving the bargaining table again without a deal. Whatever it takes, these people have to get back to work. Without its longtime union workers, there is no Texada quarry.
Jason Schreurs, publisher/editor
