Presented by Barbara Byers on Thursday, 27 May 2010

(Check Against Delivery)

Brothers and Sisters, chers consoeurs et confrères:

I bring you greetings from Ken Georgetti, President of the Canadian Labour Congress and proud Steelworker, and all the officers of the CLC.

The CLC and its 3.2 million members across the country stand united with you to bring justice to Steelworkers, and justice to all workers and their communities who are the victims of the unfettered greed of huge global corporations.

We stand with you in your fight for better foreign investment rules.

Rules that will respect communities.

That will respect workers' rights.

That will benefit Canadian society.

Corporate greed knows no borders, sisters and brothers.

Let this government know it's time to act to protect the interests of workers and their communities.

I want to say just a few words about your strike against that giant multinational company Vale Inco.

I want to tell you the most important thing I can – our solidarity will win this strike!

From coast-to-coast-to-coast you can count on Canadian workers and their unions to support the members of Steelworkers Local 6500 all the way to victory.

Every union in the CLC is behind you – every union in the CLC will do all it can to make sure you win.

So depend on this – unionized workers across Canada and indeed around the world, are backing you up – for however long this strike takes.

The Canadian Labour Congress and its affiliates will give you and your union all the support you need until you negotiate a fair collective agreement.

We are fellow union members, we are sisters and brothers – we are family and we have your back!