Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 30/00) - The union attempting to organize diamond workers is accusing Sirius Diamonds of firing an employee for being pro-union.

"There has been a complaint filed (with the Canadian Industrial Relations Board) and we are awaiting the outcome," said Union of Northern Workers (UNW) President Georgina Rolt-Kaiser.

"Right now we are in contact with the Public Service Alliance of Canada, our representative," she said. The UNW is a component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).

Sirius Diamonds management refuted the suggestion an employee was let go for being pro-union.

"That's completely untrue. If someone can't do the job, we can't keep them here," Jamie Ben-Oliel, Sirius Diamonds manager, said Monday. "In the last year, we've let 20 people go."

Ben-Oliel added that when the company was set up, it was anticipated turnover would be about 50 per cent. In fact, he said, turnover has been around 30 per cent.

About 25 people work at the plant, cutting and polishing rough diamonds from Ekati diamond mine at Lac de Gras.

The plant is located at the Yellowknife airport.

Last Friday, the UNW announced that PSAC had applied to the Canada Industrial Relations Board for certification of workers employed at the diamond cutting plant.

Rolt-Kaiser said the application followed a successful membership drive.

Once the board grants certification, the UNW will serve the employer with official notice to begin negotiations for a first collective agreement, the union said in a statement.