Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 17/99) - President Pat Thomas has announced that the NWT Teacher's Association filed an application in territorial Supreme Court on Friday to determine whether the Labour Standards Act permits the school board to make deductions from its members' pay cheques.

"It is unfortunate the NWTTA has to take such lengthy and costly action to resolve this issue," said Thomas. "However the school board refused to suspend the deductions until the matter had been determined by arbitration."

Yellowknife Education District No. 1 superintendent Ken Woodley said Monday the board was aware of the association's intentions to go to court, and said it is a move simply to gain information. He contended, however, it makes more sense economically to continue the deductions until arbitration decides the issue.

Woodley also said arbitration is not too far away. He said the board has named nominee Ron Newman to the arbitration panel, the association has named its nominee and that the two sides are awaiting the appointment of the chair.

The board began making deductions from staff paycheques in January for what it claimed were overpayments of travel and expense claims.