November 4 2020

Page 1

Nickel Belt News

Volume 58 Number 11

Friday, March 16, 2018

Thompson, Manitoba

Serving the Norman Region since 1961

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

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Serving the Hub of the North since 1960

Volume 60 • Issue 45

Elimination of nearly 150 jobs at Vale a ‘punch in the stomach for Thompson’

Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill Review of company’s Manitoba Operations results in 75 layoffs, 28 staff job cuts and 41 early retirements, Vale says

build future mines and grow than about 725 workers. our operations." Adams says in the midst Vale Manitoba OperThe reduction in hourly of a global pandemic is not ations is down to about employees represents close time for a company to be half as many employees in to 20 per cent of the memlaying workers off, while Thompson as it had three bers of United Steelworkers Luky says it’s frustrating to years ago after a compre- Local 6166 who work for union members who have hensive review of the div- Vale – a total of 538 prior to lived through so much unision led to the elimination the layoffs and retirements. certainty about their futures of 144 jobs. Union president Warover the last few years to Job losses resulting from ren Luky says the layoffs, be out of a job, especialreview, announced back in which affected workers ly when many experts are June, when the company with as much as 10 years predicting that growth in said it was losing $300,000 seniority, and the retireelectric vehicle sales and per day from its operations ments of unionized employproduction will result in in Thompson, included 75 ees are a “real punch in the higher demand for nickel unionized hurly employees stomach” for Thompson. for batteries. being laid off and another “It’s a pretty hard time “Ironically we’re making 25 taking early retirement in the plant,” Luky said the best, greenest nickel in packages, while 28 staff Thursday. "All the people the world and it’s exactly positions were eliminated that were affected by laywhat Elon Musk is looking and 16 staff employees opt- offs, it’s horrible for them.” for now. As electric vehied for early retirement. In addition to the loss of plan for real investments for The minister also said provincial government has cles are coming, we have a “These decisions have jobs and the resulting loss people in the north,” Adams that mining in general is left Thompson to fend for product that will be sought not been made lightly, and of Thompson residents – “I said. “Why has the Pallister going well in Northern itself. It’s very clear that after and we hope to be poswe recognize the signifi- know we have hourly mem- government abandoned the Manitoba, with Hudbay this government and Vale itioned in queue when that cant impact they have on bers moving out of town people of Thompson and unable to hire enough are not doing what is the comes online.” our employees, our busi- right now,” Luky says – the the north?” Workers also believe people for their operations best interest of Thompson.” nesses and the local com- early retirees also take a lot Pedersen said the loss of in Snow Lake and Rockcliff Luky said Workforce Ad- Vale is using contractors munity,” said Tara Ritchie of institutional knowledge jobs was unfortunate but Resources planning to de- justment Services are being to do the jobs they used to. of the company’s corpor- out of Manitoba Operations that Vale was taking these velop three different mine offered to Vale employees “We do not have the ate and Indigenous affairs with them. steps to ensure a viable sites near Highway 6. who are losing their jobs, as full amount of contractors department in an Oct. 29 Thompson MLA Danielle long-term future,. Adams said the way they were in 2018, when the on site,” Luky says. “Our email. “These workforce Adams asked Agriculture “Vale has informed us mining operations in smelter and refinery perma- members really don’t adjustments represent one and Resource Development too that in the long run they Thompson are being run is nently shut down, resulting understand. They’re very component of a larger plan Minister Blaine Pedersen continue to extract mineral unacceptable. in the loss of about 430 jobs frustrated because they to establish a new operat- about the job cuts in the nickel out of Thompson,” “It’s clear that Vale is at Vale over the course of have been contributing to ing model that is structured legislature Oct. 27, the day said Pedersen. "In fact, being run out of Sudbury,” the year after 120 jobs were the company. They know and resourced to improve that hourly employees were what they are projecting she told the Thompson Cit- lost at the end of 2017 when their roles are still needed. our health and safety out- informed of their layoffs by is that currently they’re izen. “Vale is extracting the Birchtree Mine was placed They’re frustrated to see comes, lower our unit costs phone, something Luky felt producing 900,000 tonnes resources and we’re not into care and maintenance contractors coming into the and best meet our short- and was disrespectful. of nickel concentrate per seeing the benefit from it. status. At the end of 2017 plant while they’re being long-term business needs. “These workers need year. They expect in two to We shouldn’t be having there were about 1,300 laid off. We just ask that Vale is committed to safely leadership that can develop three years they will be up multinational companies people working at Vale in they reach out to us if they transforming our operations jobs with a plan for the to 1.1 million tonnes, there- extracting our resources Thompson. A year later have anyphoto questions. We’ll it Belt Nickel News by Ian Graham and positioning us to secure next 30 years to grow our by making sure the mine is and not supporting our was 870. The latest job cuts try to do the best we can Addictions Foundation of to Manitoba northern director and Gisele experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. the investment required northern communities a deMeulles viable.” has written a book about localher communities. The bring it down to no more with them.” BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say BY IAN GRAHAM

EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Northern COVID-19 cases more than double in a week to 155 active cases as of Nov. 2

EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Though she’s now written a book about her experiences growing up in Churchill, Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director BY IAN GRAHAM Gisele deMeulles said writEDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET ingNorthern wasn’t something Manitoba she has always thought she would 155 active COVID cases do. as of Nov. 2 after 28 new “In my youth I never cases were announced felt good at writing,” she Monday. said. when I moved The“But Pas/Opaskwayak to Thompson to gethealth into Cree Nation/Kelsey the school of social work, at that point I had to write for university and realized, ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, right?’ I certainly developed a lot of skill in university and came out of there with a very strong skill in my writing and confidence in my writing. I write very clear and that’s it. It’s there. Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend

to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere DeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They North Life in Churchill for hasShe has a reputation I was probably sitting should quite district- continues to see the 34 also COVID-19 cases, 32 cats, tive cases from unknown to movejust theleave,’ health is district a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disrenumber of active cases rise of them still active. Those districts reported for the to the red/critical level on “I just sort with of thought, “I had such asaw varied Another thing that spectful. If we were in the dramatically, a total two districts 32 hisand northern region Nov. 2. the provincial Pandemic you what, this his- tory and cases, I wouldrespectivetell people spurred her on increaswas the same boatSystem in another of 85know cases on Monday, 18 new The rapidly Response Oct.area 27. tory, stuff that’sAinsimmy stories hard number times facing Churchill we would they would go, ing 70 ofthis them active. ly, sinceand Friday, while the of cases in I think Manitoba chief scream public head, it’s going to beisgone is it?’ I’dungo, the sinceCross the Hudson Rail- health about that so whyDr. don’t they ilarly steep increase oc- ‘That’s numbernot oftrue, cases from LakeBay district officer Brent if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, have the option to do that? way suspended operations curring in the Cross Lake/ known districts went from prompted Pimicikamak Roussin said tighter public do allthe that, did north said. “My kidsCree are not go- ‘You of Gillam spring.a Ihealth thinkorders right now Pimicikamak Nation 10 todidn’t 26 over same Cree Nation to last institute are athey’re possiing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns health district, which now period. There were 20 ac- lockdown and the province bility for a health district and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community in a political game and that’s ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population think the people of Churchshe’s an artist, she’s got so Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there They’ve built their worlds cause she always tells her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel stories at Parks Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre her sister and other family if someone came to you and Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the leave your home community put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace for **************************** you because your story on me until after.GO That was a says. LET’S GO! **************************** you somewhere else and all LET’S NORTHSTARS is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, your loved ones and your never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel deMeulles finds it hard to history is gone?’”

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 7 7:30 PM

VS

and the dangers of polar bears, deMeulles said if it had been viable she would have moved back to Churchill in a heartbeat. “I miss such as Thethe Passhoreline, that is ex-I miss the rock, I periencing a highmiss ratethe of polar bears even though transmission. they’re veryregion, dangerous and “In any in any Iarea, really miss the Hudson if we feel that further Bay,” says.restrictions “When I go publicshe health back home, standing the are required then weonwill Hudson Bay looking out on act on that,” Roussin said. the bay, it just gives you an Continued on Page 6 incredible sense. You feel so small and you feel great.” Now that she’s got one book under her belt, deMeulles says she may try to produce another. “I have another book in me,” she says. “It’s a darker story, more about personal growth and struggles. Maybe in the next five years it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 8 1:30 PM


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