by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 13/98) - A labor dispute between workers and airport security management is turning ugly.

The Union of Northern Workers reported Thursday that security workers who screen passengers boarding flights had received an intimidating letter from North Site Security vice-president Brian Carter.

Employees received the letter on Wednesday and were given until midnight the same day to sign a new set of employment conditions or lose all seniority and suffer a corresponding drop in pay and benefits.

"If you choose not to return to work at this time," wrote Carter, referring to refusal to sign the new terms of employment, "your positions will be filled for the duration of your job action. The disruption of your income could be of a substantial duration."

The union may be filing a complaint against the company under the Canada Labor Code. Union spokesman Scott Wiggs said the union has no plans to call a strike at this time.

"As a matter of fact, out of respect for Northern people and their reliance on air transport, we would rather not (strike)," Wiggs said.

But so far, all other efforts to get North Site to the bargaining table have been futile, said Wiggs.

Carter said the exact opposite is true. "What the union fails to point out is they are mainly responsible for the holdup," said Carter.

Carter said he's made three negotiating trips to Yellowknife from Winnipeg since the union was certified.

After his last trip, in May 1996, Carter said he waited almost a year for a summary of issues discussed that the union agreed to provide. He said the union also refused to negotiate in Winnipeg or meet him half way.

The nine security workers at the airport received union certification in 1995.

Carter noted that Yellowknife security workers are paid an average of $3 to $4 more an hour than their souther counterparts for a much lighter workload.

He said the letter he sent employees was designed to protect himself from fines of up to $3,500 per flight for failing to screen flights departing the airport.