By Dave McBride

 The Manitoba Division is certainly lacking consistency on this issue. On one hand we are told it's the law to be clean shaven, on the other hand, the Environment and Health Department is issuing Memos making exception to the rules, thus confirming the intent of the regulations. We have had employees allowed to grow full beards in the short term for religious reasons and were told that was okay, as long as he wore a Racal in the workplace. We were told it was okay for visitors to the Mine to retain their facial hair as long as they didn’t perform any work and wore a Racal, even though they were standing in the same environment as the Vale Inco employees, etc. Very little information, with any substance, has come out of the Environment and Health Department, other than quoting government regulations in regards to employer and worker responsibilities and having a female employee of that department smearing dyed cold cream inside a respirator and slapping it on her face and then stating "See. A goatee is not even possible." The real measure of a respirator seal is the fit test. Yet, we have been denied the opportunity to prove, without a doubt, that an adequate seal is possible with neatly, trimmed facial hair

 Finally the arguments, in opposition, to amending the Shaving Policy are feeble at best and I won't waste my time reviewing them. But, I will key in on two of them: "We can't manage a change to the policy and the employees can't manage themselves accordingly." I find it ridiculous that management would even suggest this. The Manitoba Division has received several awards in relation to Safety over the last few years. Are they admitting they are less capable than their peers in the Ontario Division. Not only is the onus on management to establish and implement procedures, as so far as "reasonably practicable" but, it is also the responsibility of our world class workforce to follow those procedures.

 Prior to 2004, numerous employees in the Mines acted accordingly, maintained their facial hair correctly and achieved positive results during fit testing. I have received a lot of support on this issue from various levels of management, Safety and Health Reps and our current Executive. I have no doubt that any future amendments to the SPI, based on fact, not opinion would be handled with the same level of professionalism as any other regulation in the Manitoba Division.

 Anyone interested in viewing the documentation can contact me. Copies will be available at the Union Hall. Thanks for your time and Happy New Year!  

In Solidarity
USW6166

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