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Jobs hang in the balance

Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Hay River (Oct 23/00) - The axe will hang over power corporation jobs until next year.

While Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTCP) had planned to issue layoff notices Oct. 18, that notice was postponed after the government told NTPC to put plans on hold to await the outcome of a government review of power generation and distribution in the NWT.

"In light of the government directive, our board has also met and given direction to corporation management that any staff adjustment as a result of the downsizing/reorganization review that would require any layoffs, that notice cannot be given until Jan. 31, or a later date," said Derek Aindow, NTPC human resources director.

He would not say how many employees would be affected by the downsizing, but says they have taken steps to reduce the blow to the workers.

"We have known for some time that this has been coming, so we have been filling jobs on a term basis or a contract basis or using temporary employees and consultants," he said.

The 160 employees are represented by the Union of Northern Workers.

Barb Wyness, UNW's research and public affairs officer, said although the formal layoff requires a three-month notice, the employees should have been informed on who will be affected by the cuts.

Lives on hold

"People have to plan their lives," Wyness said. "It's been 18 months since the creation of Nunavut and division, so people have known this was coming -- they just don't know who."

She said the government's intervention will do little but cause stress to all the workers and stalls the lives of those who might be laid-off.

"They were not going to give formal layoff notice, they were just going to give people a heads-up," she said. "All they were doing is saying, 'in a worst-case scenario, your job is going to be gone.'"

Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, Jake Ootes said the results of the study might have a significant bearing on which jobs are affected.

"The board had met yesterday and the day before yesterday and thought it would be best to abay any decisions with regards to any issues affecting the Power Corporation," Ootes said. "We don't want to go through an exercise twice for the sake of the employees and for the sake of the corporation.

"It's important that we not pre-judge the outcome of the study, and we're doing that," he said. "If recommendations come from the analysis that's being done by the study committee, that there may be opportunities here or there, then it's for the better."

The review has started and Ootes said it will be completed by the Nov. 30 deadline.