Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Friday, January 29, 2007

HAY RIVER RESERVE - There is some light at the end of the tunnel in the three-month labour dispute at the NWT's only addictions treatment centre.

Two days of negotiations have been set for Jan. 30 and 31 in Hay River between management and the union representing workers at Nats'ejee K'eh Treatment Centre on the Hay River Reserve.

"We're very optimistic with this opportunity," said Todd Parsons, president of the Union of Northern Workers.

Parsons hopes the talks indicate a renewed willingness on the part of management to reach a deal.

The negotiations were arranged with the assistance of a federal conciliator.

The workers have been on strike since late October in a dispute over wages and benefits.

Negotiations were originally set for Jan. 24 and 25, but were rescheduled at the request of the treatment centre.

Melvin Larocque, the executive director of the treatment centre, could not be reached for comment.

The talks will be the first face-to-face negotiations between the two sides in more than three years.

The workers have been without a new collective agreement since 2003.

As for why there have been no face-to-face talks for so long, Parsons explained it was primarily because management wanted concessions from the union before talking.

The union president declined to explain what led to the upcoming negotiations. "I'd prefer not to say anything that would compromise a possible solution," he said.

However, he said the recent return to work of some strikers played a part. "It would be misleading if I said it didn't have an effect," he said.

Twenty-two workers went out on strike. Four workers - a cook, a maintenance person and two night attendants - returned to work Jan. 15.

Parsons said only two of the returned workers actively participated in the strike, while the other two had stayed at home.

While disheartening, their return to work was expected and hasn't affected the unity of the other workers, he said.

Two other workers have left for other jobs.