Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 13/99) - Cliff Moroz, president of United Steelworkers of America Local 802, is not concerned with the latest rumours that outside mining companies are interested in purchasing Yellowknife's Con Mine.

Speaking by telephone Monday, Moroz said representatives of a potential buyer did cross picket lines to examine the mine last Thursday, but that doesn't amount to news to the union.

"If you know anything about business and mines these days, everything is for sale all the time," he said.

Meanwhile, workers manning the Mine Gate picket line seemed equally willing to wait out the strike, which has been going on since last May. This despite the hardship imposed by living on strike pay that they said amounts to approximately 10 percent of their regular wages.

"Some families have been pretty devastated," said one of the four at the gate, who asked not to be identified. "Some guys are holding down two or three jobs just to make ends meet."

The four, all of whom have worked for Con and lived in Yellowknife for more than a decade, said the concessions proposed by Con's owner, Miramar Con Mine Ltd., amounts to a loss of $20,000 per year for each of the 160 striking workers. They said they are determined to maintain the five-day work-week to protect their overtime-earning potential.

"All we've ever wanted is the status quo, and that's all we've ever asked for," said one. "Just to be left alone."

While they said there have been stories about companies buying up gold mines, mothballing the mine and waiting for the global price of gold to rise before resuming production, the strikers said they would welcome the end of the stalemate Con's sale would bring.

"A sale could only be for the better," said one of the men.

And though they said the last of the three strike votes rejecting the company's offers was the closest to date, they said the union membership remains as resolved as ever.

"They could have another vote today on the same contract, and I'm sure that the guys would reject it," affirmed one man.

Meanwhile, with no talks scheduled, the workers, like Moroz, must wait.

"We've made it clear we can get the bargaining team together and meet any time," said Moroz. "The only major stumbling block is weekends."