Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 01/02) - More than a year after he was offered a job as a hoist operator at Con, Fred Davies is finally on the job.

"We're going good now," said Davies during a telephone interview on Tuesday.

The 51-year-old former heavy duty mechanic returned to work Dec. 14, ending a year-and-a-half long battle with Miramar.

In a Nov. 9 ruling, the NWT fair practices office ordered the Vancouver-based company to follow through on the job offer it had made and give Davies a year's wages.

In her ruling, fair practices officer Elaine Keenan Bengts noted employers are obliged to accommodate disabled workers whenever possible.

Davies was no longer able to work as a mechanic because of a compressed disc in his spine.

Keenan Bengts ordered Miramar to pay Davies the wages and benefits he would have earned had Miramar followed through on its job offer.

Davies said he has received 13 months pay and vacation pay but is still owed some travel benefits.

The union that represents workers at Con is just beginning collective bargaining negotiations with the company.

Early indications are that the company and union are far apart. Bargaining in 1998 led to a year-long strike.

Calls to Miramar were not returned by deadline.