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Employees permanently laid off by the mining company Uranium Cameco Corp. in Saskatchewan claim to have been blinded by the company's decision to suspend indefinitely the temporary suspension of production
"We were told that yesterday we would return to our jobs in November 2018," said Denis O & Hara, president of United Steelworkers Union Local 8914, who represents Cameco employees
"And now we have been blinded," said O. Hara, who was also fired. [19659002CamecoannouncedWednesdaythatsome550employeesoftheKeyLakeandMcArthurRiveruraniummineshavebeenlaidoffand150othershavebeenfiredfromthecompany'sheadquarters
Some employees had already Licensed in November The closures were to last 10 months, but CEO Tom Gitzel says the market has not improved and has only worsened since 19659007] It's a dark month for Extraction of uranium in the p Cameco, a uranium company based in Saskatoon, has announced that 500 people will be permanently laid off. Closures at the McArthur River Mine and Key Lake are being extended indefinitely and the Saskatoon head office will see the loss of 150 jobs. Cameco's CEO, Tim Gitzel, explains the decision to fire hundreds of employees permanently 8:45
Gitzel says the market has steadily deteriorated since the Fukushima nuclear disaster Dachii in 2011.
"This has really had a huge effect," said Gitzel, pointing out that "in the last seven years, uranium prices have dropped from about $ 75 to $ 23 a pound.
"Disbelief and Disappointment"
O. Hara says that Cameco did not say that the stoppage of production could be extended until the dismissed employees were licensees.
He says the morale of the old and former employees are low, and people are feeling "a lot of emotion," including "shock, disbelief and disappointment."
According to O Hara, he and many people believed that they would return to work in the winter. [19659002] "The day before the announcement, a uni on member m contacted and asked my opinion of whether we would be back," he said. "I, optimistic, I thought I was going to work on December 1 … and I was wrong."
Union President, Denis O & # 39; Hara, says the layoff will have devastating effects on communities in northern Saskatchewan. Chans Lagaden / CBC News)
O. Hara, who is 61 years old, says that he must now decide to retire or try to find work elsewhere.
Last year, when temporary layoffs began, Cameco told workers 75% of their base salary and retained their benefits during the 10-month layoff period.
Now that their employment has ended, workers have the choice to be listed on a 36-month recall list or terminate their employment with Cameco and take severance pay as O & # 39; Hara calls it unprofitable.
Impact of the North
These layoffs have a greater impact on communities in northern Saskatchewan where Cameco is an important economic driver.
The mayor of La Ronge, a small community with many Cameco employees, says he is worried about what will happen to his city.
"These are people who have made good wages and who have developed a life in the North," said Ron Woytowich, adding that there are no jobs equivalent to those of Cameco. I almost bet that a lot of them will eventually leave our community.
He says that there will be a "huge" economic cost if people start leaving La Roche and other small northern communities.
"If they go away, if they sell their property, there will be a reduction in values, which will certainly impact on many community businesses, grocery stores. of any type of store where they spent, he said, "It's a huge economic engine in our communities and it's going to hurt."
"Wait for the game until the price will recover "
On Wednesday, Cameco said it would start buying uranium to fulfill its contracts, in order to use some of the excess supply on the market. 19659002] According to the uranium badyst, the uranium market is in a "rebalancing phase", and it is only a matter of time before the market resume and Cameco can resume production.
"I think it's just a matter of time … it's a bit of a game waiting for them until the price recovers. . "
