The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which represents striking workers at the Ekati diamond mine, says it will now step up the pressure on BHP Billiton, including targeting the sales of Ekati diamonds which are sold internationally under the Aurias brand name, after BHP Billiton tabled a �final� offer that the PSAC calls �illegal�. PSAC says that BHP Billiton refuses to compromise despite union acceptance of almost all BHP Billiton proposals.

�BHP Billiton does not want to settle this strike � that�s why BHP Billiton tabled an agreement that contains provisions which are clearly illegal in our view and then would not compromise � even though we were prepared to accept almost all of their other proposals,� says Jean-Fran�ois Des Lauriers, PSAC Executive Vice-President-North.

�We cannot accept a proposal that clearly breaks the law as well as violates our union constitution and would leave union members in a far worse position than before the strike began. BHP Billiton knew that but would not compromise, so we will now apply more pressure internationally over its refusal to bargain a fair first contract with diamond workers. BHP Billiton is going to hear from people around the world who will not buy diamonds being produced behind picket lines,� warns Des Lauriers.