Blackwater Mine Camp Workers Ratify First Contract, Securing Major Wage Gains
Prince George, B.C. — Camp hospitality workers at the Blackwater Mine have ratified their first collective agreement with a unanimous vote, concluding months of negotiations and establishing significant improvements to wages and working conditions.
The agreement covers approximately 77 ATCO Frontec employees, including housekeepers, cooks and other kitchen workers who staff the remote work camp located approximately four hours outside Prince George. Bargaining began in May of this year, marking the first time the group negotiated a union contract. The workers are represented by UNITE HERE Local 40.
Under the terms of the new agreement, workers will receive wage increases of more than $7 per hour, including retroactive pay, during the contract term. The settlement also introduces union benefits and a travel stipend, a key issue for workers who commute long distances to the remote camp site. The contract term is through 2027.
The agreement reflects growing expectations among remote-site hospitality staff for compensation aligned with the difficult demands of camp work.
“I’m proud of what we gained in this contract. A room attendant will be making $25.12 by the end of the contract, which means our pay is beginning to reflect the value of the hard work we do,” said Amina Farah, a housekeeper at the camp.
Workers at the camp provide essential services that support daily operations at the Artemis Gold-owned Blackwater Mine, preparing meals, maintaining accommodations, and ensuring the camp remains functional for the broader workforce on site.
“We won major wage increases plus benefits that were overdue in our camp. These jobs are challenging and far from home, but this contract gives us the stability we need to support ourselves and our families,” said Nathan Sykes, a 1st Cook at the Blackwater Mine site.
UNITE HERE Local 40 has organized over 1,000 remote hospitality and support-service workers in northern British Columbia in recent years.
Media Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785.