Dirty Diamonds Campaign Continues

Supporters of striking Ekati diamond mine workers yesterday leafleted customers in jewelry stores across Canada. The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) said that customers would be politely asked to not buy diamonds being produced by strikebreakers behind picket lines in its efforts to pressure mine owner BHP Billiton to reach a first collective agreement.

The leafleting at stores in cities including Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, and Yellowknife was part of the ‘Dirty Diamonds’ campaign started when PSAC placed adverts in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal on June 13 asking consumers to boycott diamonds from Ekati. Ekati diamonds are sold under the Aurias and CanadaMark trademarks.

Said Kay Sinclair, PSAC executive vice president, British Columbia, the Union will continue with consumer boycott pressure. "We are telling consumers that BHP Billiton Ekati diamonds are dirty diamonds as long as our members are on strike and strikebreakers are doing their jobs,"

Sinclair also said that PSAC will increase pressure on BHP Billiton locally, nationally and internationally until a fair first contract is achieved for Ekati workers.