Algoma Steel said changes are being discussed with union leadership and have been implemented with consideration for operational requirements

United Steelworkers Local 2251 sent the following message to employees and asked SooToday to publish it: 

This message is to inform our members that the company is relocating many of our members to welfare rooms that are not in the departments they work in. Since our members are not allowed to drive inside the plant, the fact they have to walk longer distances affects them negatively.

The union on behalf of its members negotiated in Article 10.06 that “the company shall provide adequate welfare facilities and lockers for employees.” Those welfare facilities would be no less than the minimum standard required in Algoma’s Health, Safety and Environment Manual.

Our members are entitled to adequate welfare rooms which have been costed against our wage packages since 1966. Adequate welfare rooms were administered in a manner that resulted that the welfare rooms would be close to the workplace. Furthermore, the punch clocks were originally at the gates to the plant. Now, the punch clocks have been moved to work areas.

The result is that the redistribution of employees to welfare rooms outside of their work area results in many cases of the workers having to walk past their work areas, to a foreign welfare room, and walk back to the work area to go to work. Going home is the same process in

reverse.

Many of our workers are being relocated to the old cokemaking welfare rooms. The cokemaking welfare rooms were built in an area convenient to coke oven workers in keeping with the requirement to provide adequate welfare rooms. Cokemaking operations have been

shut down and the cokemaking welfare facilities should have been taken out of service or repurposed.

The union’s position and the company’s commitment always was that adequate welfare rooms were meant to be welfare rooms that were convenient to the workplace for the convenience of the workers.

In 2018, Local Union 2251 negotiated letters of agreement that provided, in order for the company to be a fair and equitable workplace, that “the parties agree that in all areas of Algoma Steel, female workers will be provided appropriate welfare rooms which are equal in

distance to the distance of their male counterparts welfare room from the jobsite.”

In 2022 negotiations, the parties signed another letter of agreement re women’s welfare rooms. This letter reaffirms that gate passes will continue until such time as appropriate welfare facilities are available.

Clearly, the issue was that the males in the workplace had “adequate welfare rooms” conveniently located in the area that they work in.

The recent relocation program engaged in by the company is a violation of Article 10.06, and Algoma’s Joint Health and Safety Manual. The Collective Agreement provides, under Mission Statement, “The parties are committed to a successful and sustainable Algoma Steel Inc. founded upon principles of tolerance and respect between a strong independent Union and a strong independent Management and the

recognition of the value of every employee.”

The value of every employee is not recognized by Algoma Steel if the employee happens to be a member of Local Union 2251. Local 2251 is the only group of employees who can’t drive their vehicle to their welfare room and the jobsite. The people making the decisions regarding welfare rooms drive their vehicles inside the plant.

The union has filed a general nature grievance regarding this matter. We urge all our members to log their times getting to and from the gate to the welfare rooms and subsequently to the workplace compared to the time it took from their previous welfare room.

Recognizing that many of our members may be reluctant to file complaints for fear of reprisals, we ask that you log your times. The Union has filed a general nature grievance and if successful the log time will be useful to determine how much overtime pay workers will be

entitled to.

The union requested that the workers be reassigned to their original welfare rooms which was rejected by senior management.

In Solidarity,

USW Local Union 2251 Executive

 

Algoma Steel issued this response: 

Algoma Steel acknowledges USW Local 2251’s communication regarding welfare room assignments. Given Algoma’s operational transformation and changing plant footprint, select welfare facilities across the site have been consolidated and reassigned.

These changes are being discussed with union leadership and are being implemented with consideration for operational requirements, employee safety, and the continued availability of welfare facilities. The company remains committed to continued engagement with union leadership and our employees on this and other matters of concern.