Join the #1 union in mining:
The United Steelworkers union

Who we are

The United Steelworkers represents more than 225,000 workers in Canada. The USW is the largest and strongest industrial trade union, and is actively organizing your workplace.

You deserver better.

Join the USW to achieve better wages and benefits, improved working and health conditions and job security. By joining our union, you will become part of the strongest industrial trade union.

Across Canada, from Voisey’s Bay to Sudbury, to Thompson, to Saskatoon, to Wabamun, to the Elk Valley, to the Highland Valley, and to Vancouver Island, the USW is the leading trade union in representing Canadian mine workers. We have successfully organized mine workers from the Maritimes to B.C. since 1942.

The USW is a community-based union, representing a broad array of workers in mining and smelting, the forest industry, industrial mill construction and renovation, manufacturing, transportation, and service industries. We can represent all workers in USW certified mining companies – from entry-level labourers to driller blasters, to heavy equipment operators and tradespersons – to the office and technical employees that carry out research and quality control.

With the USW you will get a union that will work closely with you right from the start. The USW will negotiate on your behalf, with your participation and in your best interests. We are a workers’ union. Today, The USW has the best collective agreements, paying among the highest wages and benefits of any mine workers in the world.

We negotiate comprehensive benefits packages for individuals and families, including pension agreements and increased vacation pay and leave provisions. Our organizers are available to meet with you to welcome you into the USW.

For further information contact:

Mario Fortunato
District 6 Organizer
Phone (call or text): 506-440-5731
Email: mfortunato@usw.ca

 Unionizing and your legal rights

According to provincial and federal labour laws, you have the legal right to join a union and participate in its lawful activities.

If you join and participate in a union organizing campaign, it is against the law for your employer to threaten or coerce you, or to retaliate against you because you support the union.

If you feel you are being singled out or harassed because of your legal rights to join and participate in a union organizing campaign, contact us immediately.

The USW is here to protect you, even file an unfair labour practice against your employer to protect you and your rights. Our forefathers fought for these rights to protect the working people from being bullied and harassed.

Once the union is legally recognized as the representative for employees at your workplace, you can participate in the union’s activities without any interference from your employer. Those activities include becoming a member of your union’s bargaining committee to negotiate your first union contract governing your wages and working conditions. Your employer is required by law to bargain in good faith in order to reach an agreement with your union.

The law requires that:

• Every worker covered by the Labour Code has the right to join and form a union.

• Every employee is free to be a member of a trade union and to participate in its lawful activities.

• Your employer is prohibited from ever knowing who joined the Union during the organizing campaign.

• Your employer is prohibited from firing or disciplining an employee for union activities or membership.

• Your employer or a person acting on behalf of your employer can’t fire, suspend, transfer, discipline an employee, refuse to employ or to continue to employ a person or discriminate against a person in regard to employment or a condition of employment because the person is or proposes to become or seeks to help another person to become a member of a trade union, or participates in the promotion, formation or administration of a trade union.

• Your employer is prohibited from making threats to an employee’s job security and benefits, which could frighten an employee into refusing to join the union.

• Your employer is prohibited from changing the working conditions and wages during the organizing drive unless the union consents to the changes.

• Your employer is prohibited from instituting a total ban on the discussion of joining or forming a union.

• Your employer must negotiate a first contract agreement and the Labour Code ensures that employers must bargain in good faith.

How it works

The Labour Code requires that:

• Workers have to sign a membership card of the union who is applying to the Labour Board to represent workers.

• Only the Union Organizer and the Labour Board officer will know who has signed a union membership card and this information is strictly confidential.

• The Labor Board shall order a vote to be conducted. When a vote is taken, it shall be decided by a simple majority of the workers who cast ballots.

If the majority of workers vote “Yes” to forming their own union (50% + 1), then you and your co-workers can start to bargain your first union contract.

For further information contact:

Mario Fortunato
District 6 Organizer
Phone (call or text): 506-440-5731
Email: mfortunato@usw.ca

Which book do you want?

A policy handbook that:

❌ Is not legally binding.

❌ Can be changed at any time by the employer.

❌ Was produced by the employer to look after their needs and concerns.

❌ Is not recognized by any provincial or federal Labour Board.

A negotiated contract that is:

✅ A legally binding contract between you and the company.

✅ A legally binding contract that cannot be changed at any time.

✅ A legally binding contract negotiated by both you and the employer.

✅ A legally binding contract recognized by provincial and federal Labour Boards.

How will USW bargaining be better than the employee handbook?

The bargaining process begins long before the parties ever sit across from each other. The USW has a proven track record when it comes to training Local activists to represent its members at the bargaining table.

Here’s how your bargaining committee works and how the process unfolds:

1. Elect your Bargaining Committee.

2. Provide Building Power training to all committee members.

3. Engage the USW Research Department on issues such as market, employer finances, customers, etc.

4. Provide bargaining surveys for all members to fill out and return.

5. Have USW Legal Counsel review proposals.

6. Meet and exchange proposals with employer.

7. Start bargaining your first union contract.

8. Have USW Research Department review the employer’s proposals.

9. Communication – after every bargaining session, updates will be posted for members.

10. Hold special membership meetings to ratify proposals.

For further information contact:

Mario Fortunato
District 6 Organizer
Phone (call or text): 506-440-5731
Email: mfortunato@usw.ca

 Membership benefits

What your dues pay for

With a union, you can have a voice and respect at work, a real say in your pay, benefits, fairness, job security, and safer working conditions. The USW works with you to end unfair treatment, inconsistent rules, favouritism and intimidation.

Seniority: The benefits and privileges

Seniority is one of the most important and far-reaching benefits the trade union movement has been able to secure for its members by virtue of the collective bargaining process. An employee’s seniority under the terms of the collective agreement gives rise to such important rights as relief from layoff, right to recall to employment, vacations and vacation pay, pension plans, fair overtime distribution, apprenticeships, to name only a few.

Job security

Having a union at your workplace can give you real input in decisions that can impact your job security. It also allows employees to speak out about problems on the job without fear of retaliation, and to have a say when cost-cutting, contracting-out, or other decisions are considered. With a union contract, you can cut out favouritism, challenge unfair discipline, and make sure seniority is considered in layoffs, promotions, transfers and other decisions.

Fairness & equality

Union contracts emphasize fairness and equality with one set of rules negotiated by, and for all employees. With a union, you can reduce favouritism and unfair decisions. And when your pay, benefits and other terms of employment are written into your contract, they can’t be changed without your approval.

Better benefits

Unionized employees have better benefits. By forming a union you can negotiate a contract with benefits and retirement income plans that are guaranteed in writing.

Health and safety

With a union, you and your co-workers will have the support you need to resolve workplace health and safety issues that threaten your health.

The USW is a leader in advocating for healthy and safe workplaces. Our decades of health and safety leadership show the design of work, and how it is planned and supervised, which has a profound effect on the health of employees and the environment.

The USW is committed to working with you to negotiate health and safety provisions in your contract to reduce hazards and risks of work. We want to promote the well-being of our members, our families and our communities.

Union dues

As in other organizations (churches, clubs, etc), dues are used to pay operating expenses.

USW dues are:

• 1.55% of total earnings, plus $0.02 per hour.

OR

• A maximum of 2.8 times your average hourly rate, plus $0.02 per hour.

You will pay whichever is less.

YOU WILL NOT PAY UNION DUES UNTIL YOU AND YOUR CO-WORKERS VOTE TO ACCEPT YOUR FIRST CONTRACT.

• The USW dues can ONLY be changed by a majority vote at the USW International Convention by the members.

• 44% of all your membership dues come back to your local Union to conduct your daily Local Union business.

REMEMBER – UNION DUES ARE ALSO TAX-DEDUCTIBLE

For further information contact:

Mario Fortunato
District 6 Organizer
Phone (call or text): 506-440-5731
Email: mfortunato@usw.ca

USW represented mines in Canada

Contract

Agrium Inc (Potash Operations)

Alcoa Ltee (Aluminerie de Becancour)

Alcoa Ltee (Usine de Tige)

ArcelorMittal (Usine La Prairie)

ArcelorMittal Mines

ArcelorMittal Mines

Atlantic Gold

AWI Inc (Pierres Division)

Barrick Gold Corp D.B Operating Corp

Baskatong Quartz Inc Sitec SEC

Cabot Canada Tantalum Mining Corp

Cameco Corp

Carriere Union Ltee

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc

DSI Group DSI Canada Mining

Goldcorp Canada (Porcupine Gold Mine)

Graymont Inc Graymont (Portneuf) Inc (Div Carrieres Calco)

HudBay Minerals

Iamgold Corp Gestion Iamgold-Quebec Inc (Mine Mouska)

Imperial Limestone Co Ltd

Imperial Metals Corp (Mount Polley Mine)

Kiewit-Nuvumiut

Labrador Inuit Dev Corp & ATCO Frontenac Serv Torngait Services Inc

Lafarge Canada Texada Quarrying Ltd

Materiaux Excell SENC

Mines D'Or Wesdome Ltee (Mine Kiena)

Mosaic Company

Noranda CEZ Inc

North American Palladium Lac Des Iles Mines Ltd

North American Palladium Ressources Cadiscor

Nyrstar (Langlois Mine)

Pioneer Coal Ltd

Potash Corp (Allan)

Potash Corp (Cory)

Potash Corp (Patience Lake)

Prairie Mines and Royalty Ltd (Highvale Mine)

Quadra FNX Mining Co

Richmont Mines Inc Usine Cameco Inc

Rio Tinto Alcan (Usine Alma)

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Co of Canada (Carol Lake Mine)

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Co of Canada (Carol Lake Mine-Warehouse)

Rio Tinto Les Poudres Métalliques du Québec Ltée

Rio Tinto QIT-Fer et Titane (Kennecott)

Sibelco Group Unimin Canada Ltd (Badgeley Island Mine)

Sibelco Group Unimin Canada Ltee (Saint-Canut)

Sibleco Group Unimin Canada Ltd (Blue Mountain Plant)

Teck Resources Highland Valley Copper

Teck Resources Ltd Teck Coal Ltd (Elkview Oper)

Teck Resources Ltd Teck Coal Ltd (Fording River Oper)

Teck Resources Ltd Teck Coal Ltd (Quintette Mine)

Upper Canada Minerals (Madoc)

Vale Canada (Manitoba Ops)

Vale Canada (Ontario Ops)

Vale Canada

Xstrata Canada Xstrata Copper Af  nerie CCR

Xstrata Canada Xstrata Nickel (Raglan Mine)

Xstrata Canada Xstrata Zinc (Brunswick Mine)

Xstrata Canada Xstrata Zinc (Mine Matagami)

USW local union

7552

9700

9700

7625

5778

8664

3172

9414

9165

9224

7499

8914

9599

6254

9291

7580

9599

7106

4796

816

1-2017

9449

9508

816

6586

4796

7656

6486

9422

4796

4796

3172

7689

7458

189

1595

2020

4796

9490

5795

6731

7493

4466

2020

2008

5383

7619

9346

7884

1-424

5303

6166

6500

9508

6887

9449

5385

6131

For further information contact:

Mario Fortunato
District 6 Organizer
Phone (call or text): 506-440-5731
Email: mfortunato@usw.ca

City, Province

Vanscoy, Sask.

Becancour, Que.

Becancour, Que.

La Prairie, Que.

Gagnon Fermony, Que.

Port-Cartier, Que.

Moos River, N.S.

Stukely-Sud, Que.

Marathon, Ont.

Saint-Urbain, Que.

Lac Du Bonnet, Man.

Key Lake McArthur River, Sask.

Quebec, Que.

Point Noire, Que.

St-Bruno, Que.

Timmins, Ont.

Saint-Marc-Des-Carrieres, Que.

Flin Flon, Man.

Abitibi, Que.

Van Anda, B.C.

Likely, B.C.

Boisbriand, Que.

Voisey’s Bay, N.L.

Texada Island, B.S.

Contrecoeur, Que.

Val D’Or, Que.

Colonsay, Sask.

Valleyfield, Que.

Thunder Bay, Ont.

Amos, Que.

Nord-Quest, Que.

Stellarton, N.S.

Allan, Sask.

Saskatoon, Sask.

Patience Lake, Sask.

Seba Beach, Alta.

Sudbury, Ont.

Malartic, Que.

Alma, Que.

Labrador City, N.L.

Labrador City, N.L.

Sorel-Tracy, Que.

Havre-St.Pierre, Que.

Killarney, Ont.

Saint-Canut, Que.

Havelock, Ont.

Logan Lake, B.C.

Sparwood, B.C.

Elkford, B.C.

Tumbler Ridge, B.C.

Madoc, Ont.

Thompson, Man.

Sudbury, Ont.

Voisey’s Bay, N.L.

Montreal-Est, Que.

Raglan, Que.

Gloucester County, N.B.

Matagami, Que.

Defending your rights

Strike and Defense Fund

The USW has a strike fund in excess of $700,000,000. The USW strike fund is funded by USW dues. Employees are well aware that the USW is a fighting union able and willing to defend our rights if necessary. Our strike fund serves as a deterrent, and even encourages the largest employers to sign fair contracts.

MYTH — The union will make you go on strike.

FACT — 97% of labour contracts are negotiated without a strike. Strikes are a rare last resort in contract negotiations — no union wants a strike. A strike only happens when a majority of workers vote to have one.

MYTH — Unions make demands that just aren’t reasonable.

FACT — A couple of things to remember here. First of all, the union is you and your coworkers, so you get a say in setting the demands you want. Second, this is a bargaining process aimed at getting you the best deal possible, and once you set a demand that’s when the process of give-and-take starts. Finally, don’t forget — you work hard and you need to be compensated fairly

MYTH — If you form a union, you risk losing the benefits and pay raises you already have.

FACT — It is illegal for an employer to freeze or cut previously scheduled raises to discourage you from forming a union. Once you are organized, you will lock in current wages and benefits and then negotiate from there. All of you will get an opportunity to review your proposed contract before you vote to approve it. Obviously, you are not likely to approve a contract that cuts your wages or benefits.

For further information contact:

Mario Fortunato
District 6 Organizer
Phone (call or text): 506-440-5731
Email: mfortunato@usw.ca

Ready to join the Steelworkers union?

Ready to sign you USW union card? Fill in the form below and someone will get in touch with you.

Alternatively, you can contact:

Mario Fortunato
District 6 Organizer
Phone (call or text): 506-440-5731
Email: mfortunato@usw.ca