Fonds P019 - Mike Solski fonds

Mike Solski (1918-1999) labour leader, played an important role in the labour movement in the Sudbury district. From 1935 to 1947, he worked for the International Nickel Company of Canada Ltd. (INCO) in Coniston. He held various positions within the International Union of Mine Mill and Smelter Workers (IUMMSW) Local 598, from 1942 until 1959. Local 598 was recognized as the largest union local in North America in the 1950s. He led the 1958 strike. In 1959, he was defeated by Don Gillis, after six consecutive years as President of the Local. Solski served as the Eastern Canadian Director for District 2 of IUMMSW from August 1960 to August 1961. Mike Solski was also active in local politics. From 1962 until 1972, he served as Mayor of the Town of Coniston and from 1967-1973 he was President of the Sudbury and District Municipal Association. He ran unsuccessfully in the Riding of Sudbury East in the 1967 Provincial election. In 1973, under Regional Government, he was elected Mayor of the Township of Nickel Centre and held the position until 1978. Solski also served for three separate terms as Vice-Chairperson of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury in 1973, 1977 and 1978. Between 1973 and 1978, Solski was a member of various boards in the Sudbury district. He retired in 1978. During his retirement, Solski remained involved in the community, and expressed his opinions through open letters in local newspapers. In 1980 he founded the Coniston Historical Group and served as President. He is also the co-author of Mine Mill: The History of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers in Canada since 1895 (1984) In 1999, Solski joined The Sudbury Regional Restructuring Association, to support regional reform. Mike Solski passed away on October 19, 1999.

The International Union of Mine, Mill And Smelter Workers (Local 598) was organized at Sudbury, Ontario in 1935 for such purposes as bringing about better working conditions and higher pay scales for its membership, as well as settling disputes, grievance, and sickness, accident, or death claims against the companies by unionized employees.

It originated from within the membership of the early Western Federation of Miners (W.F.M.), formed in British Columbia in 1895. Subsequent to the challenges of the early years of the W.F.M., a charter for Local 598 in Sudbury was granted in 1942 by its governing body, and by the International President, Reid Robinson. In 1943, Robert Carlin was elected as President, and in 1944, this local was certified as the collective bargaining agency for the employees of the International Nickel Co. of Canada Ltd., ( INCO), and of Falconbridge Mines in Sudbury.

In 1949, the I.U.M.M.S.W. was expelled from the Canadian Labour Congress (C.L.C.), marking the beginning of many years of dissension, both within Local 598 itself, as well as between the I.U.M.M.S.W. and the United Steelworkers of America (U.S.W.A.). In 1967, a merger was negotiated between the two unions, and all locals, with the exception of I.U.M.M.S.W. Local 598 in Falconbridge, joined the U.S.W.A. Until 1993, Local 598, representing approximately 2,000 hourly-rated employees of Falconbridge Nickel Mines, was the only remaining local of what was once a large union. In 1993, following two years of discussion, Local 598 merged with the Canadian Auto Workers Union (C.A.W.) and adopted the name " Mine Mill/ C.A.W. "

Past Presidents of Local 598 are as follows: Robert Carlin, 1943-1945 ; James. L. Kidd, 1945-1947; Nels Thibeault, 1947-1952; Mike Solski, 1952-1959; Don Gillis, 1959-1969; Jim Tester, 1969-1974; Emil Prudhomme, 1974-1977; Joe McDonald, 1977 ; Jack Gignac, 1977-1980; Emil Prudhomme (2nd term), 1980-1982; Ed Leger, 1982-1984; Rick Briggs,1984-1995; Roly Gauthier, 1995 - 2001; Rick Grylls, 200.