Iron Ore miners complain of flu suspensions
Last Updated: Friday, November 13, 2009 | 5:17 PM NT
CBC News
Two western Labrador miners say they were suspended by the Iron Ore Company of Canada after they called in sick with flu-like symptoms.
"I called in sick and Friday night [Nov. 6] I received notice that I was suspended for a month," said mine worker Darryl Whitten of Labrador City.
His four-week suspension without pay was unfair, said United Steelworkers union local president George Kean.
"I took Mr. Whitten in to the IOC medical clinic; they could see he was sick," Kean said. "Then I took him to labour relations and they refused to come to a meeting and just said 'Go and file a grievance.'"
Company officials said they could not discuss a specific employee file but told CBC News that no one was suspended for being sick. The company infraction report says Whitten missed a shift "without permission" and "failed to follow procedure for reporting an absence."
Kean said another IOC employee who called in sick with flu-like symptoms was suspended without pay for a day.
Kean said he worries that ill employees will continue to go to work, afraid that they'll be suspended if they don't.
"It sends the wrong message to our members," said Kean. "Because we do have union members diagnosed with H1N1."
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