Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

Yellowknife – Public Service Alliance of Canada members at the Ekati diamond mine have voted to ratify a tentative agreement with Ekati owner BHP Billiton, ending a strike that began April 7 with the first-ever union contract at a Canadian diamond mine and significant improvements for workers there.

Ekati workers voted 66% in favour of the one-year contract that contains a full grievance procedure to protect workers from arbitrary and unfair treatment, wage increases, a signing benefit, more vacation days and other improvements, said Jean-François Des Lauriers, PSAC Executive Vice-President-North.

“This has been a tough strike but our members are going back to work with significant improvements in their workplace as a result of their determination,” Des Lauriers said. “And we will be back at the bargaining table on our members’ behalf next year.”

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Public Service Alliance of Canada says don’t buy trademarked Aurias™ and CanadaMark™ diamonds produced by strikebreakers

YELLOWKNIFE, June 13 /CNW/ – Over 2 million readers of the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal in the United States will read today about “Dirty Diamonds” being produced despite a strike by Ekati diamond mine workers, as their union runs major ads in the newspapers as part of its growing international campaign against mine owner BHP Billiton.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is asking consumers not to buy Ekati diamonds being produced by strikebreakers under the Aurias™ and CanadaMark™ trademarks behind union picket lines as the union fights to win a fair first collective agreement for nearly 400 Ekati workers on strike since April 7.

“BHP Billiton is going to feel increasing heat around the world until it reaches a fair contract with Ekati diamond mine workers,” said Jean-François Des Lauriers, PSAC Executive Vice-President-North. “We will be telling readers of the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal that they should not buy Canada’s own conflict diamonds – diamonds being produced despite a labour conflict.” Click here to view the ad (pdf).

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Public Service Alliance of Canada and BHP Billiton to resume negotiations for first contract at strike-bound Ekati diamond mine May 25-26 in Edmonton; PSAC picket lines will stay up until ratified agreement reached

YELLOWKNIFE, May 23 /CNW/ – The Public Service Alliance of Canada, the union representing striking Ekati diamond mine workers, and mine owner BHP Billiton have agreed to resume negotiations for a first collective agreement, with talks scheduled for May 25-26 in Edmonton.

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Yellowknife — By using scabs at its Ekati diamond mine and by refusing to bargain in good faith with its 400 unionized workers, BHP Billiton is showing its contempt for Canadian workers.

According to the National President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) John Gordon, “if BHP Billiton wants to stay in Canada and continue to do business, it has to respect Canadian workers.”

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Diamonds produced in the North West Territories at the BHP Billiton Ekati Diamond Mine are “dirty”. BHP Billiton has been promoting its signature “Aurias” diamond as “conflict free” rather than “blood diamonds” produced in war-torn countries like Sierra Leone and the Congo. But Ekati is now the site of a major labour conflict.

Why should this concern you?

As one of the largest multi-national corporations doing business in Canada, BHP has chosen to force its employees into a strike by failing to negotiate a fair and reasonable first collective agreement.

Canadians appreciate employers who respect our tradition of bargaining in good faith…especially when the employer’s profits were $7.5 billion in 2005!

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Striking PSAC members who work at BHP Billiton Ekati Diamond Mine are holding strong as the strike approaches its fourth week. Daily information updates are being circulated to the picket lines at Yellowknife , Rae-Edzo, Fort Smith , Hay River and Edmonton , keeping everyone up-to-date and informed.

Members who live across the land in isolated locations are finding creative ways to support the strike – some are doing community services, for example. Community events across the North have been well attended: barbeques, information pickets and entertainment. Support remains strong.

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Yellowknife – Workers at Canada ’s first diamond mine are on strike Friday, April 7 after BHP Billiton refused to negotiate a fair first collective agreement, says the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the union representing 400 workers at the Ekati diamond mine.

Jean-François Des Lauriers, Regional Executive Vice-President for PSAC-North, says workers are off the job early Friday, at the Ekati mine, which produces 6 per cent of the world’s diamond supply by value.

And Des Laurier warned BHP Billiton against the use of replacement workers, saying such tactics are unacceptable to northern Canadians.

“BHP Billiton has refused to offer its diamond workers a fair first collective agreement and forced them to go on strike,” said Des Lauriers. “If BHP Billiton adds insult to injury by using replacement workers to operate the mine, the Canadian labour movement will react strongly to denounce the employer’s actions.”

Read more at the national website – there’s also some photos.