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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
As Government of the NWT workers prepare for a strike vote, Union of Northern Workers president Todd Parsons said the union "has no intention of challenging the MLAs' salary increase" of 2.9 per cent.

Negotiations between the UNW and the GNWT to reach a new collective agreement broke down March 1 and the two parties are currently setting a date for mediation.

One of the points of contention between the UNW and the GNWT are the proposed salary increases over the life of the new agreement.

The union proposed a two-year collective agreement with a 2.75-per-cent increase in 2012 and a three-per-cent increase in 2013. The GNWT countered with an offer for a four-year collective agreement with annual increases of 0.75 per cent, 1.25 per cent, 1.5 per cent and 2.25 per cent.

Meanwhile, effective April 1, all territorial MLAs received a 2.9 per cent increase as mandated by territorial legislation that ties annual wage adjustments to the consumer price index.

"I'm aware that many of my members are angered by it," said Parsons, referring to the disparity between the MLAs' wage increase and the increases offered to government workers by the GNWT. But the union does not begrudge the MLAs their increase.

"From the union's perspective, we always support and indeed strive towards all workers, including politicians, maintaining fair wages that keep up with the cost of inflation," Parsons said in a statement sent to MLAs and the media.

UNDERMINING UNION BARGAINING POSITION

Parsons said he had heard that Human Resources Minister Glen Abernethy had requested MLAs turn down the raise. He saw this, however, as an attempt to undermine the union's bargaining position rather than a gesture of solidarity.

"This is an attempt by the government to strategically undermine the bargaining process," stated Parsons, adding, "It is dishonourable and inappropriate and should be seen for what it is - a bargaining tactic which is an attempt to pay the public servants less than what they deserve."

Sahtu MLA and caucus chair Norman Yakeleya said the regular members spoke about the issues of MLA compensation and the consumer price index at last week's caucus meeting.

"There's no intention for MLAs to decline the CPI increase," said Yakeleya.

The legislation which determines MLA wage increases was passed by the 16th assembly.

"The current system puts in a predictable four-year compensation system for the income of MLAs and ensures that sitting members do not make decisions affecting their own salary," said Yakeleya. "It allows for fair and transparent compensation for elected leaders."

Parsons said changes to the pension system tabled in the federal budget will also negatively affect the purchasing power of government employees. The Public Service Pension Plan will be adjusted over time so that employees pay 50 per cent of the contribution to their pension funds.

"That's another 10 per cent that's being removed from the purchasing power of employees, you know, in their regular take-home, week over week," said Parsons.

"Workers across the Northwest Territories, they're getting hit pretty hard here. And I understand that the government's position is that it's challenging times but, you know, it's challenging times for everybody."

Yakeleya declined to comment on whether the MLAs had been asked to refuse their wage increase. Abernethy was unavailable for comment.

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