Ekati: Canada's Conflict Diamonds

Diamonds produced in Canada’s Arctic by BHP Billiton at the Ekati diamond mine are being marketed as a “conflict-free” alternative to diamonds from war-torn countries.

But today Canadian AURIAS™ and CanadaMark™ diamonds are being produced in a conflict - behind a picket line set up by 385 diamond mine workers who have been on strike at Ekati for over two months to win a first contract.

The Ekati workers, many of them aboriginal people from Canada’s north, are only asking for fair treatment.

But BHP Billiton - an Australian multinational that made US$6.5 billion in profits last year - won’t negotiate a reasonable deal. And BHP Billiton is using strikebreakers to operate the Ekati diamond mine despite the strike by workers represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada/Union of Northern Workers.

Ekati workers urgently need your help.

Please send BHP Billiton a message - tell them you support a fair first contract with Ekati workers - and that you don’t want BHP Billiton’s dirty diamonds from Canada!

email BHP Billiton Ethics and Business Conduct
Australia BHP Billiton Limited BHP Billiton Centre 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 Phone: (61) 1300 55 47 57 Fax: (61 3) 9609 3015	United Kingdom BHP Billiton Plc Neathouse Place Victoria London SW1V 1BH Phone: (44 20) 7802 4000 Fax: (44 20) 7802 4111
South Africa 6 Hollard Street Johannesburg 2001 Republic of South Africa Phone: (27 11) 376 9111 Fax: (27 11) 838 4716	United States 1360 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 150 Houston TX 77056-3020 Phone: (1 713 ) 961 8500 Fax: (1 713 ) 961 8400

Links and more information

psacnorth.com: PSAC Northern Regional website

psac.com: Ekati strike information at PSAC national website

unw.com: Union of Northern Workers website