Members of the United Steelworkers (USW) employed in the United States who mine the metal used in Olympic medals are expressing their solidarity with locked-out Quebec workers. USW Local 392 wants Rio Tinto “Off the Podium” for this summer’s London 2012 Olympics.

USW Local 392 represents the workers at Rio Tinto subsidiary Kennecott Utah Copper’s operations in Utah where 99 per cent of the metal used to produce the Olympic medals was mined.

“USW Local 392 members take great pride in the world-class work they do,” says Wayne Holland Jr., the staff representative for USW Local 392, in a letter he sent recently to Larry Probst, Chairman of the United States Olympic Committee.

“However, we completely reject the way that Rio Tinto is treating workers in Alma, Quebec. Likewise, we feel it is wrong that Rio Tinto be allowed to associate itself with the Olympic principle of fair play and with the London Games’ commitment to sustainability while treating its workers in Alma as it has ... more