Cameco Trying To Keep Pace With Oilsands Salaries

Cameco Trying To Keep Pace With Oilsands Salaries

Friday, November 17, 2006 at 14:18

An official with Cameco says a large wage increase for northern mining workers in a recent contract settlement reflects the cost of keeping skilled tradespeople.

Alice Wong is referring to the 21.5 per cent increase over 4 years that 400 workers at McArthur River and Key Lake agreed to in collective bargaining.

Wong notes Cameco is competing with northern Alberta’s oilsands in filling certain positions.

She says her company will have to monitor what kind of wages tradespeople earn in Fort McMurray as they negotiate future contracts.

Wong doesn’t believe her company has lost any workers to the oilsands, but she says Cameco is facing challenges in filling existing vacancies.