They are also on call for emergency picket line duty. As the Labor Day picnic was winding down, a miner from the Lindsley mine offered to take the visiting steelworkers to the picket lines. This is a message to the company about how long the miners are prepared to stay out to defend their union. At the smelter the visiting unionists from Toronto were greeted by several miners. Janet Thomas, who has worked there as a process operator for three years, said she thought that defending seniority rights was the most important issue in the strike.
Seniority is the cornerstone of any union.
We all know where we stand. Asked about the attempt by the company to keep the smelter running with management staff during the strike, Thomas said there wasn't much work getting done judging by the small number of trucks that were crossing the picket line carrying processed ore. The article reported on the fact that the union's negotiating committee had rejected a new company offer. Union negotiators said the company wants to replace the 300 to 400 workers scheduled to retire from Falconbridge next year with nonunion labor. Rosemary Ray is a member of United Steelworkers of America Local 5338 in Toronto.