Analysts said that the Conservative government has betrayed working families in Hamilton and Nanticoke by dropping its court case against US Steel despite the company's clear violations of federal law.

Mr Ken Neumann, Canadian director of the United Steelworkers, which represents the unionized workforce at US Steel operations in Hamilton and Nanticoke, said that "This is an outrage. Instead of upholding a legally binding agreement, the Conservatives have become party to a foreign corporation breaking commitments to Canadian families and communities."

Multiple court rulings, including last month's decision by the Supreme Court of Canada, confirmed the government had a legitimate case against US Steel for violating the commitments it made under the Investment Canada Act.

Mr Wayne Fraser, the USW's director for Ontario and Atlantic Canada, said that "The Canadian government allowed US Steel to buy Stelco based on binding commitments, including maintaining 3,105 workers and producing more than 13 million tons of steel. Instead, US Steel, now with the full sanction of the Conservative government, has drastically cut jobs and production in Canada."

Mr Rolf Gerstenberger president of USW Local 1005, which represents US Steel's Hamilton workers, said that "Our government had a clear-cut case against US Steel. It's appalling that the Conservatives have joined US Steel and walked away from the legally binding commitments to Canadian workers and communities."

Mr Bill Ferguson president of USW Local 8782 in Nanticoke said that "We are shocked that our government has cut this secret deal, without even the decency of consulting those who are most affected. Our communities and our working families, particularly those whose jobs have disappeared, have been abandoned by US Steel and now our own government."

The Conservative government's secret deal with US Steel means that other parties involved in the court case, including the USW and its members, have been deprived of their rights to demand compliance with the law and to claim damages.

Mr Fraser said that "The settlement reached in this secret deal is a drop in the bucket compared to the real damage caused by US Steel and our complicit government. Now that they have a majority government, the Conservatives have clearly demonstrated they do not care about defending Canadian workers, or upholding the law, or about transparency and accountability to the public."

(Sourced from www.digitaljournal.com)