Fraser Lake, B.C. – Roughly 300 unionized workers at Fraser Lake’s Endako Mine are preparing to find alternate employment.

This after Thompson Creek Metals, along with its partner Sojitz Moly Resources, announced the mine would be going into “temporary suspension” last month.

United Steelworkers local 1-424 president Frank Everitt says they’ll be winding down to a skeleton crew in February.

“We’re working with the company to determine who those people are and how many jobs are left at the end of the day to mothball the place or look after it in the interim.”

He says the membership are “certainly disappointed the place is going down” but also busy trying to find jobs.

“There is a job fair February 16th and 17th. Folks will be looking at that and seeing what they can find in their community.”

However he admits it will be tough finding work there.

“That’s the difficulty people are faced with. There’s a couple of employers in that community and when one shuts down you end up having to look for employment outside your community.”

As for morale, he says workers are doing okay all things considered.

“I wouldn’t say it’s low. The information I have from the meetings is that people are disappointed the place is going down but understanding considering they received notice as opposed to what happened up in Tumbler Ridge. You can do a little bit of prepping.”