Andrea Markey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 26/05) - The Union of Northern Workers has enjoyed its largest convention since the creation of 1999, when a portion of the membership left to form the Nunavut Employees Union.

Over the weekend, 53 delegates, 10 observers and 10 guests from around the territories packed into the Explorer Hotel for four days aimed at "Preparing for the future."

Todd Parsons was re-elected by acclamation as president, with Gayla Wick elected first vice-president and Brad Brake as second vice-president.

"For the first time in over 24 years, we completed all the work we had to do in those days," Parsons said. "We debated over 70 resolutions."

One resolution passed now sees the position of first vice-president as a full-time position. It had previously been a volunteer job, he said.

A resolution was also unanimously passed to launch a campaign to build support for its desired anti-replacement worker legislation.

"We need to impress upon the public the importance of this need so we don't repeat the past," he said, referring to the Giant mine disaster.

"The energy of the union has grown in the last three years," he said. "It is feeding on itself, really."

In his opening speech, Parsons urged all 4,800 union members to continue to grow and support one another.

"Because we're strong, we won't let them!" he said, referring to employers who ignore rights of workers.

Public Service Alliance of Canada members attended the convention, as did those of the Canadian Media Guild, the Dene Nation and striking Fort Liard ferry workers and their families.