An ongoing labour dispute at two of Cameco’s operations is having a big impact on northern Saskatchewan.
Many northerners are employed directly or indirectly at the McArthur River mine and Key Lake mill and unionized employees at both locations have been on strike for close to a week.
La Ronge Mayor Thomas Sierzycki says the uranium mining company strike is having a large effect on the north’s economy and the sooner it is resolved, the better.
“I think really, as a northern leader, we’ve taken the approach of encouraging both sides to come to the table sooner, the better and hopefully it resolves quickly so that northern families aren’t impacted more than they already are,” he says.
Sierzycki says he has been in contact with both Cameco CEO Tim Gitzel and United Steelworkers 8914 President Phil Morin about the situation.
He also says the strike is affecting not only those employed by Cameco but a lot of other northern industries.
“I think the general consensus of the north is we need to get this done as soon as possible for the fact it is hurting not only those workers working at the site but northern workers that are employed in aviation, in a contractual basis, all those other aspects. So, I think northerners feel the urge and the need to get this solved quickly and I think the good part was that speaking with the CEO today he kind of said the same sentiment.”
Sierzycki says about nine per cent of La Ronge’s population is employed either directly or indirectly in Cameco’s northern mining operations.
The approximately 535 unionized employees have been without a contract since last December.
They are currently picketing at both Cameco’s head office in Saskatoon and on the bridge on Hwy 2 between La Ronge and Air Ronge.