Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 27/02) - Protesting what they call a decade of below-average pay raises, unionized NorthwesTel employees spent the weekend expecting to strike this morning at 12:01.

"It's mostly anger and frustration at what we've been offered and what we've had to go through for the last 10 years," said Ernest Ness, business manager of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1574. "Our people have said to us -- who we know have a lot to lose -- that they're ready. They've had enough."

Speaking last Friday, both sides said they were hopeful that talks could take place over the weekend averting a strike.

Both were also preparing for a strike.

At NorthwesTel, non-unionized managers were told to buy steel-toed boots and shirts in case they had to do repair work. The same people began training last week for jobs as toll-operators and repairs workers.

At the union, members have been instructed on picketing -- which will take place in Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit -- and a "great many" were looking for jobs, said Ness.

"Some, I understand, are even setting up their own businesses," he said.

A last-ditch offer from the union this past Tuesday did not draw a counter-offer from the company, said Ness.

NorthwesTel's Anne Grain-ger said the company is still sticking by the line it has drawn in the sand.

"I talked with our executives and they're willing to confirm that we did receive a suggestion from the union on Tuesday," she said. "But we still feel that what we're offering is fair and competitive, and at this point we're not able to move on that."

Grainger said the company has no plans to hire temporary workers.

"Not even considered," she said. "We will be fulfilling the job functions with existing non-union staff."

In the event of a strike, NorthwesTel will do what it can to maintain operator, 811 and 611 services. In the NWT, customer service hours will be cut back to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Normal hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

In the event of a strike, the union is calling on all NorthwesTel customers to withhold payment of their phone bills.