Yellowknife (Sep 29/04) - BHP Ekati Mine employees are going into negotiations with an ace up their sleeve.

They've got Carol Wall, a lead labour negotiator with Public Service Alliance of Canada.

She's helped bring about successful settlements with the Globe and Mail, for the old Hollinger group of newspapers and with the Guelph Mercury, all on behalf of the Southern Ontario Newspaper Guild.

Wall was in Yellowknife last week to help the PSAC Local 3050 prepare for upcoming contract negotiations.

"They're sleeping, eating and working under surveillance and we brought them into Yellowknife for bargaining preparation," she said.

The priority from the membership includes the clarifying of work conditions and terms, she said.

"It's a world-class company with world-class profits. So why not a world-class agreement?" Wall asked.

Wages and vacation time, as well as standardized rules for every worker at the mine, are at the top of the negotiations team's list of priorities.

"We want to standardize rules for everyone. We want it to be consistent for everyone and for there to be fairness, dignity and respect," she said.

Visited mine

Wall spent eight days at the Ekati Mine in March, meeting with members and seeing the working conditions for herself.

"I was simply getting a good feel for what the members go through on a day-to-day basis," she said.

Wall says she's conscious of the fact that she is an outsider to the process.

"I say to the employer 'don't lose sight of the fact that I can walk away but the members are going to see you on a day-to-day basis,'" she said.

The negotiator describes herself as a no-nonsense type of person.

"We always take the high road and agree to disagree at times, but we do it respectfully," she said.