Dominion Agrees to Save 150 Ekati Jobs

RAPAPORT... Dominion Diamond Mines has reached a tentative agreementwith the Union of Northern Workers (UNW) that could potentially save 150 jobsat the Ekati deposit. Dominion had planned to replace that many employees withcontract workers due to high levels of absenteeism. However, the miner and theunion have now agreed on a solution that would deal with the company's concernswhile avoiding layoffs, according to a joint statement Tuesday. "This is a good day for Ekati and its employees," DominionCEO Patrick Evans said. "Our preference is that our own employees perform the surface-miningoperations work, and the new agreement allows us to do this, while ensuring weare able to control our costs by addressing the longstanding absenteeism issuesand improve the morale and productivity of our employees." Indigenous workers held many of the jobs that were underthreat, according to news outlet CBC. Chiefs of the Tlicho people, who live inthe Northwest Territories where Ekati is located, met with the mine'smanagement and workers to discuss their concerns during the dispute, CBC said. The union labeled Dominion's potential layoffs a"cost-cutting mechanism to increase profitability" when the miner's initialplans emerged last month. At the time, it also said it intended to filecomplaints of unfair labor practices. "We are pleased that we have been able to agree on analternative approach that saves our members' jobs," UNW president Todd Parsonssaid. The agreement will go into effect once both parties haveapproved it, which they expect to occur by July 25. It also includes terms fora new labor agreement between the company and the union that will run until May2022.