Apology not enough NWTTA says
Call for arbitration instead

Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 03/99) - Arguing an apology is not enough, the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association (NWTTA) says it is time the city's public school board and themselves go directly to arbitration.

The association is willing to waive the grievance steps and says an arbitrator should be appointed by the Canada Labour Relations Board to mediate the dispute if one cannot be agreed upon by Friday.

Association president Pat Thomas also says the recoveries of monies from its members should stop immediately until an arbitrator makes a ruling.

"I am concerned that our recent differences have had a negative effect on our members morale," she said in a letter to Yk Education District No. 1 board chair Dan Schofield, delivered to board offices last Friday. "A second concern is that these recent events may shadow our primary goal which is to educate children."

NWTTA members opened their paycheques Jan. 15 to learn that monies paid out last year for vacation travel assistance, Heritage Day pay and funds in other areas, were being recovered by the board as allowed -- in the board's view -- by a new contract.

Last Friday, board superintendent of education, Ken Woodley, apologized to NWTTA members effected by the recoveries. A letter to this effect was placed in members paycheques.

"If any of you felt offended or slighted by the manner in which the recovery of monies began, I apologize," he said. "I wish to make it absolutely clear that our actions in this regard do not indicate any lessening of the value we place on each and every one of you. Please be assured that despite whatever the collective agreement might dictate, you are, individually and collectively, our district's greatest strength and resource."

The response by Thomas was swift.

"It's meaningless without any action," she said. "To say members would greet it with skepticism would be an understatement."

Board trustees who could be reached Monday, said they were well aware of the planned recoveries. Pointing out the board is reclaiming the monies at a maximum of $100 per paycheque, Trustee Terry Brookes said there was no easy way to do it.

"We didn't want to do it before Christmas," he said. "We could have done it a better way, we could have done it in a worse way... The maximum is $100 a cheque, that's it. It's actually less than that since you're not paying tax on it."

Fellow Trustee Mark Loan agreed.

"If we were at fault, it was (the board didn't) make sure that every teacher had a (copy of the) contract," he said. "However, every school did (have a copy)....I would also fault the union for not better explaining it (the contract) to its members...They (NWTTA members) should have read the contract."