Ekati Workers Stage Near 100% Walkout

On Friday morning, union workers at the Ekati diamond mine began their threatened strike action. Almost all of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) workers walked off the job and flew out of Ekati. PSAC members were joined by other unionized workers employed by contractors hired by mine owners BHP Billiton.

"Our members today showed their true wishes by walking off the job at the

Ekati diamond mine and nothing could be clearer to BHP Billiton," said Jean-Francois Des Lauriers, regional executive vice president for PSAC-North. "We are convinced that this decertification application in no way indicates the wishes of the workers and will be defeated."

Todd Parsons, President of the Union of Northern Workers component of

PSAC that represents Diamond Workers Local X3050, said the union is focused on strike action to gain a collective agreement. "Our diamond workers know that this decertification application is yet another way of trying to stop them from winning a contract," Parsons said. "We are completely confident in our membership and will remain on strike until we reach a collective agreement."

Roy Lenardon, Ekati Diamond Mine vice president of human resources said that the mine is operating at full capacity. "We strongly feel that the union has made inappropriate contract proposals which are in direct conflict with Ekati Diamond Mine's responsibilities with the Aboriginal Community and the Northwest Territories. We take that responsibility very seriously," he said.

"Despite the union's claims, we currently have employees ignoring the job

action and reporting to work," said Lenardon.

Federally mediated talks in Edmonton between the union and BHP Billiton failed on Thursday. According to Des Lauriers, the company made inadequate offers on wages and holidays and refused to address key issues of layoffs by seniority and job security.

Ekati is Canada's first diamond mine and produces 6 percent of the

world's diamond supply by value or 4 percent by weight and yields 3 to

5 million carats annually. It is located 300 km northeast of Yellowknife and

200 km south of the Arctic Circle.