Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 17/02) - With a possible strike looming on the horizon, some NorthwesTel employees are asking their union for another vote.

Ernest Ness, business manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1574, said the union has received requests for another vote from about 11 per cent of its workers.

That is less than the 14 per cent who voted against striking in the first place.

"In order to have another vote, it seems to us that we've got to have something of a better offer (from NorthwesTel), and that didn't happen," said Ness.

For now, the two sides are at a stalemate. Contract talks broke down several weeks ago. NorthwesTel employees have been without a contract since last December.

The union has been busy answering workers questions about picketing procedures, said Ness.