The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is donating $10,000 to support the Hamilton, Ont. steelworkers who have been locked out of their jobs since last November by U.S. Steel, a release from ETFO announced today.
U.S. Steel is trying to de-index its workers’ pensions and wants to close its defined benefit pension plan to all new hires and replace it with a defined contribution plan.
“It is unconscionable that U.S. Steel would strip away hard-earned benefits from workers who have given their lives to this and the previous owner Stelco Steel,” said ETFO president Sam Hammond. “What is disturbing is that prior to purchasing the company in 2007, U.S. Steel assured workers that it would honour a commitment to the Stelco pension plans.”
This financial pledge and show of camaraderie comes as thousands are expected to unite in Hamilton on Saturday, Jan. 27 to support the 900 members and 9,000 pensioners of USW Local 1005.
“As working people, we can no longer accept that foreign-owned companies can come into this country and dismantle the structures that took unions and workers decades to build that provide income security for Canadians upon retirement,” Hammond added.