Mining Official Backs Northern OT Exemption

Mining Official Backs Northern OT Exemption

Friday, September 22, 2006 at 16:42

An official with the mining industry says he doesn’t think scrapping the Northern Overtime Exemption would result in more jobs at northern mines.

Phil Reeves says costs would go up for the industry and changes would have to be made to the schedule, but that’s about it.

Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Mining Association, Reeves says the exemption has proven itself in the north, because it allows residents to work 7 days on and 7 days off.

Reeves says right now miners generally work 80 hours a week and he says a move back to standard shifting would change that significantly.

He plans to discuss the matter with MLA Ron Harper in early October.