STEELWORKERS PERMIT GVRD TANKER TRANSPORT
Steelworkers permit GVRD-bound tanker to transport from Teck Cominco site
15 September 2005,
TRAIL, BC, Sept. 15 /CNW/ - On Wednesday striking Steelworkers at the Teck Cominco Ltd. smelting operations temporarily lifted a picket line to permit a tanker trailer to enter and exit the premises.
The vehicle, loaded with a special chemical used in the post-chlorination phase of waste water treatment, is bound for a Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) treatment facility.
Steelworker Locals 480 and 9705, representing more than 1,200 smelter workers and office and technical employees, were contacted by Teck Cominco management to allow the vehicle to access the site. Local 480 president Doug Jones says that the union agreed to management's request, temporarily lifting the pickets because the chemical is urgently needed by the GVRD to treat water prior to its use in irrigation systems.
"Our members are concerned for the environment in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley and have made an exception to our commitment that no vehicle carrying a product or by-product of the Teck Cominco smelter will get through picket lines," said Jones.
"This is one of the few places this chemical is produced in North America and our members have said yes to environmental protection."
On Friday morning (Sept. 16), striking workers will appear in downtown Vancouver to protest Teck Cominco's escalating exports of hydroelectric power to the United States during the strike, which started July 19. They will hold rallies outside the head offices of the BC Utilities Commission and Teck Cominco.
Local 9705 president Rick Georgetti said that Teck Cominco workers and communities in the Kootenays are speaking out to halt the hydro exports.
"Water rights were granted to Teck Cominco for local manufacturing and local job creation," says Georgetti.
"That hydro power must be used to create environmentally and economically sustainable jobs for BC communities."
The United Steelworkers represents more than 280,000 men and women working in every sector of Canada's economy.
/For further information from Union: Steve Dewell, (250) 368-7333/
Photo: Waneta Dam, near Trail Operations
MAKING A COMPLAINT TO BC UTILITIES COMMISSION
To send a complaint to the BC Commission to find a satisfactory resolution of unresolved disputes, ideally the complaint to the Commission should be made in writing and provide the following information:
- name of the complainant;
- complainant's address;
- the key elements of the dispute; (ie: Teck Cominco is selling hydro Power instead of maintaining their agreements with the Province of BC to use the hydro power water under the terms of the water act license to create environmentally and economically sustainable jobs for BC communities.)
- names of utility staff/officials contacted;
- dates contacts were made; and
- reasons, from the complaintant’s viewpoint, why the problem is not resolved.
Information provided by the complaintant will be forwarded to the respective Utility Commission officials for comment. All compaintant information obtained is protected from public scrutiny under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act.
In situations where where a complaint requires immediate action, a compaintant can contact the Commission at (604) 660-4700, or for those outside the Lower Mainland, the Commission has a B.C. Toll-free number: 1-800-663-1385. Email contact for complaints: Complaints@bcuc.com
SEND A LETTER OR EMAIL OF COMPLAINT TO TECK COMINCO
Registered and Head Office
Teck Cominco Limited
600 -
Vancouver , British Columbia V6C 3L9
• Tel.: (604) 687-1117
• Fax: (604) 687-6100
EMAIL TECK COMINCO: info@teckcominco.com
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