Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Oct 10/05) - A tiny inukshuk slowly took shape at the CBC building in Rankin Inlet during the public broadcaster's lockout of its employees.

The inukshuk was the idea of well-known Inuit entertainer and radio personality Charlie Panigoniak.

As the days passed during the 50-day stoppage, Panigoniak wanted to construct something to convey the weight Rankin employees were feeling as the pressure of meeting their monthly bills mounted.

The inukshuk immediately came to mind.

"Some of the rocks are heavier than others and that shows the different weight or pressures we were feeling as the lockout went along," said Panigoniak. "Each rock is a symbol of the weight we all felt trying to make our loan payments, and pay our mortgage and rent.

"We all felt the weight of the lockout."

Panigoniak said many people approached him in Rankin to convey their support for the workers during the lockout.

He said the best thing people can do to express their feelings is to write a letter to the CBC and let the company know their thoughts.

"Some of our people had casual work during the lockout, but I didn't.

"I would always spend my mornings on the picket line at the CBC, but I didn't have to do that in the afternoons.

"That was the only good thing about not working. I could go out on the land to hunt and fish and get a lot of other personal things done."

The biggest stumbling block in the negotiations between the CBC and the Canadian Media Guild was the company's planned increase in its use of contract workers. The deal struck between the CBC branch of the guild and the broadcaster limits the use of contract employees to 9.5 per cent of permanent staff.

Panigoniak said that's all water under the bridge now and he'll be glad to replace his inukshuk with a microphone.

"Part-time workers were the big thing for us and we got what we wanted, so I have to say the union won.

"We're all just glad this is over and we're back to work."