Jason Unrau
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 14/05) - Local news and weather from the Beaufort Delta was back on the air, Wednesday, as CBC and the Canadian Media Guild reached an agreement last week, ending the lockout that had dragged on for more than seven weeks.

At the centre of the dispute were CBC's plans to increase the number of contract workers, while the union focused on job security for its members, who were locked out Aug. 15.

Tuesday was the official back-to-work day for CBC employees, though it was referred to as a "transitional work day."

The exception was Hockey Night in Canada staff, who returned to work last Saturday, ensuring all 5,500 locked-out workers got paid for the Thanksgiving weekend.

"It's mainly making sure everything is up and running and ready to go tomorrow morning," said Northwind host Wanda McLeod Tuesday morning, from her desk at the Western Arctic CBC bureau on Mackenzie Road.

She noted that local weather fills for the Delta had been coming out of Yellowknife's CBC bureau during the lockout.

"It was a little different walking in today," she said. "But I'm happy and feeling good to be back."

On the other side of the office, Mabel English, host of the Gwich'in language show Nantaii ("Trail"), couldn't agree more.

"I was tired of sitting around doing nothing," said English, adding that she did get to spend a bit more time than usual at her fish camp and that the fishing was good. "I am happy to be back working for (the listeners) and I'm sure they will be too."

English said Aklavik elder Mary Kendi would be her first post-lockout guest and that the talk would focus on what was happening in and around that community.

Tusaavik host Dorothy Arey, whose daily 3-4 p.m. show is broadcast primarily in Inuvialuktun, is also glad to be back, though she was a little annoyed by the union's tactics.

"I didn't mean to be off the air. If I had my way, I would've never left," she said.

"People really missed our programs and a lot missed their messages and announcements. I'm very sorry to our listening audience and (Wednesday) I'm going to express my gratitude for everyone being patient."