Con miners vote yes
Miramar offer ratified by nearly 90 per cent

Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 19/99) - Striking miners at Con voted to go back to work Friday, ending the longest strike in the gold mine's history.

After being out for nearly a year, United Steelworkers Local 802 voted to accept Miramar's latest offer.

Union President, Cliff Moroz, said the members in favour of the offer showed a clear majority in the vote.

"It was in the high eighties," Moroz said. "The vote has been ratified and there are some good issues in there."

The weekend work issue has been a major bone of contention throughout the strike. Moroz said the workers claimed victory in the new deal.

"It's now a defined work week - it's Monday to Friday," he said.

Another victory for the union was with the job posting clause, he said.

In the new contract, Moroz said any worker may now apply for any job posted within the mine.

"If you've got the qualifications and seniority to do that job, you have control of your own destiny even if someone does take a disliking to you," he said.

The new deal also ensures that membership will not lose seniority while they walked the line, Moroz said. "The time spent on strike will go to their pension and their seniority."

With the offer ratified, Moroz said it's now up to the company to say when the 150 Con miners will return to work.

"It's a waiting game for us and hopefully next week we'll have all these questions answered," he said. "Tuesday we meet with the company...I was hoping it would be a little earlier, but Tuesday it is."

Moroz congratulated the Steelworkers on holding out for the deal they wanted and said he's looking forward to the new deal.

"I feel good and I'm anxious to get going with it," he said.