The strike at Falconbridge (August 2000–February 2001)

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Falconbridge Workers Remain On Strike
CAW/TCA Canada, Contact, 8 September 2000. CAW members at Falconbridge in Sudbury, Ontario, have entered their fifth week on strike. The company is continuing to demand take aways in areas such as seniority rights, contracting out language, union representation, changes to health and safety and others.
Falconbridge says court to rule Tuesday on strikers
Reuters, 30 October 2000. Falconbridge awaits the outcome of a court application to stop striking workers from disrupting traffic at its Sudbury complex. The workers went on strike on August 1 after contract talks collapsed and the previous agreement expired. The union has accused management of trying to unravel the collective agreement, while Falconbridge is pushing for contract adjustments that will reduce costs by cutting union representation and make its business units more competitive.
Court puts restrictions on Falconbridge strikers
Financial News, 31 October 2000. Canadian nickel producer Falconbridge Ltd. obtained a court order on Tuesday to restrict picket line activities of 1,260 striking miners at its nickel-copper facility in Sudbury, Ontario. A company spokesman said the order gives Falconbridge unrestricted access to its facilities without delays at the picket line, limits the number of picketers to 20 per site and restricts picket lines to outside company premises.
Falconbridge strike to last until year ends-labor head
By Rajiv Sekhri, Reuters, 10 November 2000. Labor officials say they expect the 15-week-old strike at miner Falconbridge Ltd. to last at least until year-end as the two sides cannot agree on issues. Company and union officials are at odds over the true nature of the dispute at the plant. The union says Falconbridge management is hiding real issues beneath talk that excessive union representation is damaging productivity.
Falconbridge Norway starts five-day strike
Reuters, 15 November 2000. Workers at Falconbridge Nikkelverk, the Norwegian unit of Canadian miner Falconbridge, started a planned five-day strike in sympathy with their striking Canadian colleagues.
Sudbury showdown threatens every labour union. The most important strike in Canada you've never heard of
By Mick Lowe, Straight Goods, 12 December 2000. One of Canada's most historic trade union locals is under vicious attack from one of the country's most powerful concentrations of capital, and the outcome of the struggle could resonate through the ranks of organized labour for years to come. Local 598, which was once Canada's mightiest single trade union local, is fighting for its very life.
Mine Mill Needs More Support and Militant Action Against Falconbridge-Noranda
By Gary Kinsman, 16 December 2000. Despite stepped up militancy of Mine Mill (CAW Local 598) and growing community support, much more is needed. Falconbridge-Noranda wants a contract that will take away the gains of decades of union struggle and to establish a more flexible form of production that increases the power of the corporation at the expense of the workers. To do this they use scabs and hired the Accu-Fax strikebreaking firm.
Victory At Falconbridge
CAW/TCA, 20 February 2001. Leadership statemets. We stood in solidarity with one another and we reached a collective agreement that we believe we can live with for another three years. The real victory was the successful fight against the company's attempt to weaken the union.
Union scuttles Falconbridge strike
By Lee Parsons, World Socialist Web Site, 24 February 2001. The strike by 1,260 production and maintenance workers at the giant Falconbridge nickel mining operation in northern Ontario was brought to an end last week with the ratification of a contract agreement which provides for workforce reductions of at least 10 percent. In addition to the loss of jobs, most damaging to union members is the splitting of operations at two plants in Sudbury.