Iqaluit (Oct 20/03) - A former City of Iqaluit manager is suing the city, several unions and employees for the way he says he was treated during a labour strike in 2001.

Paul Wieczorek filed the law suit on Oct. 3 in the Nunavut Court of Justice.

Those named in the suit include the City of Iqaluit, the Union of Northern Workers, Nunavut Employees association, Rick Butler, former chief administrative officer for the city, Matthew Hough, former director of public works, and 14 striking city employees.

In the Statement of Claim filed Wieczorek stated that during the strike in the fall of 2001 he was repeatedly harassed and abused, and even received death threats.

Because of those threats he said he now suffers from stress, anxiety, insomnia and post-traumatic disorder.

The Statement of Claim says the city didn't provide him with enough support to deal with the abuse he received. It explains that his contract indicated he would be protected from any abuse.

During the strike Wieczorek was responsible for delivering water to residents, managing the Iqaluit dump, and maintaining essential services.

Ian Fremantle, chief administrative officer for the city of Iqaluit, wouldn't comment on the law suit last Wednesday because he knew nothing about it.

The city is currently looking for more information on the law suit. Mayor John Matthews also wouldn't comment.

He said he hasn't heard much about it because he was out of town until late last week.

The city and other defendants named in the suit have 30 days from the date the suit was filed to submit Statements of Defence.