Rae-Edzo (May 01/06) - It's either a quick rise to the top, or day-in, day-out drudgery - depending on who you talk to among aboriginal workers at BHP Billiton's Ekati diamond mine.

Richard Charlo, a Behchoko (Rae-Edzo) resident and striking worker at Ekati mine, said he supports union actions. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo

The union representing striking workers - the Public Service Alliance of Canada and Union of Northern Workers - at the mine site has pledged to make training and seniority advancement for aboriginal workers a requirement before a new deal with BHP can be reached.

Richard Charlo, a nine-year aboriginal employee who works in the mine site's shipping and receiving warehouse, says he agrees with the union's decision to go on strike.

"We're being treated differently than non-aboriginals," said Charlo.

"My problem with BHP is that training courses and all that is not working."

The Behchoko resident said he feels both the union and BHP Billiton are trying to use the plight of aboriginal workers at the mine to their advantage.

Nonetheless, he is siding with the union.

He said an agreement-in-principle between BHP and Tlicho communities only guarantees workers from the region will be hired, but not for training and promotions.

Aboriginal workers make up about one-third of Ekati's 400-strong unionized workforce.

Charlo said he has been unable to attain advancement at Ekati because his employer never makes time for training, and constant staff shortages ensure he is stuck doing the same job year after year.

"I've been after training and they're not helping us," said Charlo.

"Two years down the road there's no one being hired in the warehouse department. There are shortages all the time.

Mary Corrigal, a heavy equipment operator at the mine, tells a different story.

The aboriginal employee from Hay River said she's received steady training and advancement at the mine since she started working there seven years ago.

"I had no knowledge of anything when I first started working there," said Corrigal.

She said support for the strike among aboriginal employees is waning, just as Joseph Boysis - another aboriginal worker at the mine - told News/North two weeks ago.

"Slowly, they're coming back," said Corrigal, noting 10 of her crew of 30 have returned to their jobs since the strike began on April 7.

"It's mostly aboriginal workers who are coming back because most of them are saying they can't live on $50 a day (strike pay), plus some of them don't even know why they went on strike."

Corrigal said someone from the union recently called her at work, warning that her pay will be rescinded as a penalty for crossing the picket line, but she said she is not worried.

"I'll never walk off that job," said Corrigal.

"I tried a year-and-a-half to get there and I'm not going to leave there now."

Charlo, meanwhile, said his community's interest in the strike is growing and picket lines are beginning to spring up in an attempt to block line crossers from returning by plane to the mine.

He said he plans to join it.

Todd Parsons, president of the Union of Northern Workers, conceded that support for the strike among aboriginal workers was weak at first, but said it's beginning to grow after hearing and reading comments from Ekati brass in the media in recent weeks.

"There's a growing enthusiasm developing in the community (Behchoko) from the members residing there," said Parsons.

"They are actually pressuring the union and their fellow members to maintain a picket line there."

BHP spokesperson Deana Twissell said, however, one-third striking workers have returned to the job.

She added that there are a multitude of training programs available for aboriginal employees to help them advance up the ladder.