Voting day in Labrador City, as union calls on members to reject final IOC offer

Steelworkers employed at the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) in Labrador City will vote Monday on the company's final offer, which the union executive describes as unacceptable.

Talks broke down between IOC and the United Steelworkers Union Local 5795 earlier this month, after IOC introduced a two-tiered pension system that would see new employees receive one-third the value of the current pension plan, along with changes to how sick days are managed.

Last week, IOC made another offer to the union, but after travelling to Quebec to meet with company officials over the weekend, union president Ron Thomas is asking his members to reject it.

If the union votes no, it would spur job action, given that the union has already voted 99.6 per cent in favour of a strike mandate earlier this month.

"Your negotiating committee has a final offer from the company that we cannot accept," Thomas wrote in a post on the union's Facebook page.

There are meetings planned at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. AT  for the union to outline the offer, and workers will vote.

Thomas said he would not comment to media until the meetings are over.

Voting will start after the first meeting and will be open until midnight.

Company's offer

Here is a summary of IOC's recent offer to the union:

• Wages: An average 2.4 per cent increase every year for the five years of the agreement.
• Pension: IOC is promising increased contributions to the defined contribution part of the pension plan. 
• Health: Improvements in areas like vision, air ambulance, short and long term disability
• Temporary workforce: Reduction in the number of temporary workers from 12.5 to six per cent of the workforce but continued use.
• Temporary workers would get priority consideration for new permanent jobs.
• Spouses and children would also get priority hiring.