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The end is finally here

Three-month Strike concludes in capital

Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (July 23/01) - Jokeypah Kippomee feels like a million bucks. Smiling, tucked behind the front counter of the reception desk at city hall, it's almost as if the long-term municipal employee never left her job.



Cory Chegwyn, the station captain of the Iqaluit fire department, returned to work last Tuesday. Because his position was deemed non-essential under the essential services agreement, Chegwyn hit the picket line with more than 80 other municipal employees. - Kerry McCluskey/NNSL photo


Except that she did.

For the last three months, the Iqaluit resident and more than 80 of her co-workers walked picket lines in a what turned into a bitter city strike that pitted union members against management.

Beginning as a lockout on April 17, the labour unrest turned into full-blown strike that finally came to an end last Monday. Workers were back at their jobs the next day, exactly three months after management locked them out.

"I'm happy to be back," said Kippomee, the city's receptionist for the last five years.

Mayor John Matthews expressed a similar sense of relief the day after the city returned to normal. He said he is pleased the federal mediator was able to draw up a collective agreement that workers and city councillors were able to ratify.

The new contract hikes employee salaries a total of $2.3 million over the life of the four-year agreement. Because the union was without a contract since July 1999, two years of the pay increase are retroactive.

"I am relieved," said Matthews. "I feel relief for everyone: for the residents, for the management and especially relief for the employees," he said.

Matthews said he sympathizes with union members who went so long without a paycheque and he commended management for doing what they could to keep the city operating during the strike.

Whether or not the two sides will be able to mend their relationship, Matthews said there may be some difficulty and some staff resignations, but he thought time could heal the wounds.

He said the next step is to finish cleaning up three months worth of accumulated garbage and to resume implementing city programs.

Matthews added that in two years time, when negotiations on the next agreement begin, he'd approach the table with a new understanding.

That, he said, would hopefully prevent another strike from occurring.

"We were so far apart and we didn't understand each other's positions," said Matthews.

"We'll strive over the next two years to articulate our position so there are no big surprises. If we accomplish that, we should be able to settle it right at the table."

Iqalungmiut were also happy the strike was over. Relying on the city for water delivery and sewage pump-out, Adamie Ipeelie said he was happy normal service was back. "I'm just glad it's over."

Another resident, employed by a company that collected garbage during the strike, said he was comforted by the fact it was over. "I had to quit my job," he said, preferring not to give his name. "For four weeks every day, I had to cross the picket line. It was terrible. I had empathy for those guys, but I have to pay rent too."

Gilberte Racicot is happy the streets of Iqaluit will be garbage and pot-hole free once again.

"It's wonderful," she said.