Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 10/99) - Using what union representative Dale Rolfe called hardball tactics, Miramar Con Mine Ltd. has filed requests to have some striking employees evicted from their rented, company-owned property.

"It's strike-related," said Rolfe on Friday, "They're playing hardball and doing everything they can to keep the membership riled up."

Miramar owns 32 lots in two Yellowknife trailer parks known as Con Camp and Old Con Camp or Rycon Camp, in which employees park their privately-owned trailers and pay $100 a month in rental costs plus water.

But since the start of the Con mine strike May 14, 1998, many tenants have refused to pay rent. They argue that because the company owes them vacation pay and because they're on strike, the company should offset their rental fees using the vacation pay.

"My point is that they owe me over $5,000 in vacation pay, and I owe $800 in rent, so I still have four years of rent paid up front," said striking mechanic Soren Thomassen, who has rented No. 16 Con Place for the past 10 years.

Miramar began proceedings with a Dec. 31 letter requesting restitution of rent and water bills by Jan. 15.

"Failure to do so will result in eviction of you and your trailer from the property," Thomassen's letter reads.

Thomassen said he contacted Miramar manager Ted Rutherglen last fall to arrange that his vacation pay -- calculated at $5,378.42 on his last, April 26, pay stub -- be set off against his rent.

"His response was that the rent and holiday money are separate issues and that he can't touch it," said Thomassen.

Thomassen said several workers did respond to the Dec. 31 letter and to a subsequent Feb. 1 "Notice of Termination of Tenancy," by offering payments, some in the form of post-dated cheques. Thomassen said although Miramar solicitor Kathryn Vennard took his cheque for what he owed, she said she could not promise proceedings would cease.

In fact, the company filed requests with the NWT Rental Office on Friday to have eight tenancies terminated. Rental officer Colin Baile said hearing dates will be set and the rental tribunal will review evidence and make a ruling. Baile said it was too early to say if the cases will be handled collectively.

Thomassen reported that he and six other tenants decided Monday to secure legal representation, and that a meeting next Tuesday of the Local 802 United Steelworkers of America membership would determine whether the union will back them.

"When you get evicted it's pretty hard not to take it personally," Thomassen said, "but if it's a move to pick off the union guys individually, I feel the union should take it on."