LABRADOR CITY, N.L. — After 15 years with the Steelworkers Local 5795 in Labrador CIty, Ron Thomas recently said goodbye.
Thomas accepted a position with the Steelworkers as an international rep in St. John's.
Thomas became the full-time vice-president in 2006 and then went on to become president in 2011, a position he held until the end of October.
He spoke with the Labrador Voice about his job with the union and some of the ways he thinks the union has progressed.
Thomas was hired as an electrician at the Iron Ore Company of Canada in July 1990 and soon became interested in the union movement.
"I always had an interest in my union, attending meetings or filing grievances when I felt I was wronged by the company," he explains. "In the early 90s, I was laid off and had an issue with my unemployment insurance. My local president represented me in an appeal for me and the rest of the laid-off workers."
Later, he was approached by George Kean, who was president of the union at the time, and was asked to become a committee member. For Thomas, it was the catalyst to work harder for the union.
"I never looked back. There is a sense of pride in being able to help others," Thomas says.
Highs and lows
There were many great moments in his time with the union, he says, such as winning industrial disease claims or winning arbitration cases. Sometimes, he says, it was just helping retirees, members and even sometimes the general public.
"One thing that really sticks out was in 2007, when I was VP and George Kean was president. George came up with the idea to help members, retirees, and dependents who exhausted their medical insurance limits. They proposed a fund that workers would pay five cents an hour to fund this, and to this day, we have this still available to those who need it," he says.
Alongside Kean, Thomas fought to have the province establish the silica code of practice to deal with silica in the workplace, regulations that still apply today.
As for good memories, Thomas takes away many.
"There is such a feeling of accomplishment and pride when you can help any individual," he said. "This is the most rewarding part of being a union leader, when you feel that you've made a real difference."
But, he admits, it's been difficult to attend funerals of the many people he's known.
"I know it is difficult for family members, and I hope that honouring them gives the families comfort," he said.
Thomas says there have been rough times as well. The downturn in 2015 wasn't easy, he says, and there were layoffs, but most workers got back on the job.
He says there have been four strikes since he was president — evidence he points to as demonstrating the need for unions today.
"More than ever, unions make sure people are treated fair and equal and they have to make sure health and safety is a priority for the company," he said. "The most recent strike last year was a prime example; I was proud of the way the union members came together to support each other and to fight what they believed in."
He adds the company may have underestimated the will of the younger workers who had never been through a strike and had bills to pay.
"When the company made their first offers, the membership had one of the highest strike mandates in the union's history," he added.
He says that sent a clear message of how strong the union is — something that fills him with pride.
Next steps
Thomas began his new job with USW International Nov. 1 and will now be based out of St. John's.
"I can't thank the steelworkers in Labrador City in putting their faith in me for all these years," he said.
"I want to thank the executive for all their work and for stepping up in my absence and the wonderful people I have been associated with. I have had no regrets in all these years serving the union."
Mike Furlong took on the presidency when Thomas departed.
"He has been involved with the union for quite some time and we have worked with each other a lot recently," he said. "I feel comfortable in leaving the union in his capable hands. All I ask is that the union continue to make sure that every worker that goes to work for IOC comes home safe at the end of the day."
