Niger uranium workers threaten to expand strike

NIAMEY (Reuters) – Niger’s uranium workers union on Thursday threatened to shut down all of the West African state’s uranium production if a labour dispute at French nuclear power giant Areva’s Imouraren mining project was not solved soon.

 

Niger is the top supplier of uranium to France’s nuclear power industry. Workers constructing Areva’s new Imouraren mine began a week-long strike on Wednesday due to a disagreement with management over days off.

“If the strike continues at Imouraren, we will have to mobilise all workers of the mining companies. We’ll stop working until there is a solution for the Imouraren workers,” said Inoua Neino, Secretary General of the Syntramines union.

Niger produces about 4,000 tonnes of uranium per year from mines operated by Areva. China National Nuclear Corporation also has a uranium mining project in the country with output of 700 tonnes per year.

Areva’s Imouraren mine is expected to more than double current production when it comes online in 2014 with expected output of 5,000 tonnes per year.

An Areva spokesman in Niger declined comment, but a source at the company said the workers were aware of the project’s vacation policy before they were hired.

“Areva offers two weeks of rest following two weeks of work. We include annual leave in these periods of rest,” he said.

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