Unions rally to support Rio Tinto workers locked out in California

Unions led by the Maritime Union of Australia organised a rally on 23 March 2010 in support of 570 workers locked out by Rio Tinto in Boron, California. This video features union leaders who spoke at the rally.



[This video can be viewed on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJMnld47JJ0. A video with the complete speeches by Chris Cain and Joe MacDonald can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIMM71QzuUQ.

Speakers also pointed out that workers in WA's north west are in dispute with Rio Tinto and other mining companies. Solidarity between unions was a strong theme emphasised at the rally.

A February 3 post on the MUA website explains the issues in the dispute:
Global unions are calling for international action against Rio Tinto after the lockout of 560 US miners in Boron, California this week.

The Maritime Union of Australia and the CFMEU Mining and Energy division and unions internationally in the Mining and Maritime Initiative yesterday condemned the latest attempt by Rio Tinto to smash the rights of workers by locking out International Longshore and Warehouse Union members at the Boron operations and called for worldwide solidarity actions.

"Our solidarity goes to ILWU Boron miners and their families in particular who have suffered these attacks on the morning of January 31 for defending workers' rights and refusing to capitulate to the bullying tactics of Rio whose agenda is to break the union in order to slash wages and conditions," the statement read. "This company posted profits of $3.7 billion last year. Rio Tinto hired vanloads of security guards to storm the mine while helicopters flew overhead only last October. It is a company that has been taken to task for abuses of human rights, indigenous land rights, workers' rights and damage to the environment and local communities in Australia, Africa, Bougainville, Indonesia and Iceland. [MORE]

Photos from the March 23 rally in Perth: