by Nancy Gardiner
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 26/97) - A registered nurse who worked at Echo Bay's Lupin mine says she's been awarded $67,000 in compensation following two dismissals.

An agreement was reached between Echo Bay Mines and Crowley May 16.

Echo Bay, however, contends it was not "compensation," but "a negotiated resolution with an employee who was laid off as a result of a company re-organization. It was for a period of reasonable notice," said Tim Butler, Human Resources Manager of Echo Bay mines from his Edmonton office.

Butler also said it had nothing to do with previous Canada Labor Relations Board rulings. "This was a private negotiated matter," he said.

Butler would not comment on the amount awarded, saying it would be "inappropriate." He would not say who initiated the negotiations, but concurred "they've been ongoing for some time."

However, Crowley said when she received her last dismissal letter from Echo Bay, there was no reason stated. She contends she was fired because of her involvement in union organizing.

Maggie Crowley was a key organizer at the Lupin mine site since April 1995. She worked at Lupin for nine years, as a two-week fly-in, fly-out employee from Edmonton. She's been a practising nurse since 1982.

People like Maggie Crowley were singled out for discipline, Ken Neumann of the United Steelworkers of America said in a press release. The most important aspect of the settlement was a "no gag" order, she said. "It took lots of negotiations to get that," Crowley said.

The company also agreed to provide Crowley with a reference letter for seeking future employment.

But Crowley said she's been busy writing a book about her experiences. "At first I was keeping track of events but it ended up quite therapeutic."

The NWT underground Lupin gold mine is 250 kilometres north of Yellowknife.

Despite the union's efforts, workers at the site voted against joining the union last year. Butler said approximately three quarters of the workers rejected the union. Lupin has 330 hourly workers and 90 salaried employees.

The United Steelworkers said it remains committed to representing workers in the mining sector and claims to represent more miners than any other union.