UNW and company still negotiating
Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Jan 12/01) - Efforts to resolve labour issues at Yellowknife's first diamond-cutting plant may be just around the corner.
But just when and what the resolution will be, was uncertain as of Wednesday afternoon. Union of Northern Workers President Georgina Rolt-Kaiser and Sirius Diamonds President Stephen Ben-Oliel declined Wednesday to comment directly on the matter.
"I have no comment with regards to the ongoing situation with Sirius Diamonds, the Union of Northern Workers (UNW) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)," Rolt-Kaiser said. The UNW is a PSAC component.
"I've received nothing in writing," she adds.
Ben-Oliel, reached Wednesday afternoon at his Vancouver office, said: "I can't say one way or the other.
"At this point we are in the midst of negotiations."
He also said: "I think it will be resolved before too long."
Since last August, the UNW has filed three complaints with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) against Sirius Diamonds. It remains to be seen if hearings on the complaints will be heard next week.
The complaints may be resolved by then. Last August, the UNW announced that PSAC had applied to the Canada Industrial Relations Board for certification of Sirius Diamonds workers.
At that time, Rolt-Kaiser said the application followed a successful membership drive. To set up a bargaining unit, 50 per cent of workers plus one must support the move.
If the board grants certification, the UNW will then serve the employer with notice to begin contract negotiations for a first collective agreement.
