Yellowknife (July 09/03) - Negotiations between the Union of Northern Workers and Sirius Diamonds is on hold for the summer.

"What with holidays and a number of workers out in small fly-in communities, there is nothing serious going on," said Barbara Wyness, of public relations and research at UNW.

Peter Finnemore, plant manager at Sirius Diamonds, said the issue "seems to have gone to sleep" for now.

Wyness said information on the resumption of negotiations will likely be available at the end of the summer.

In March of this year, UNW had signed a tentative collective bargaining agreement with Sirius only to see the unionized workers at the Yellowknife plant reject the settlement.