Strike prompts a venue change
Change due to ongoing strike by town employees in Hay River
Karen K. Ho
Northern News Services
Monday, April 20, 2015
HAY RIVER
What was predicted as a strong possibility for the Northwest Territories Association of Communities (NWTAC) is now a reality.
Kim Tybring braves the cold to march on the picket line in February. The strike by town workers in Hay River has been going on for 10 weeks. - Sarah Ladik/NNSL photo |
On April 15, the organization announced that it would be moving its annual general meeting in Hay River to facilities owned by member community K'atl'odeeche First Nation on the Hay River Reserve, due to an ongoing strike by the town's unionized employees.
The event is scheduled for May 7 to 10 and will immediately follow the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) Good Governance Conference on May 6 and 7.
It was a move that the Union of Northern Workers (UNW) president
Todd Parsons had predicted would happen.
"We're not wanting to be in this position," he told News/North.
The union issued a press release on April 13 warning of potential economic losses due to the ongoing strike and the unwillingness of many union members to cross picket lines.
"Striking workers will not be available to supply support services, and many participants will refuse to cross a unionized picket line to attend," Parsons said, adding that he had already received confirmation that three of the 33 municipalities expected to attend would not cross the picket lines.
Sara Brown, president of NWTAC, said her organization wanted to maintain neutrality and to respect the current negotiation process. However, prior to the announcement of the venue change, the UNW also stated that "AGM events will be picketed wherever they take place."
A written statement from NWTAC spokesperson Shannon Crawley said the move "will ensure that the business owners in Hay River retain the economic benefit of the event, and that no additional changes are required for the travel and lodging of those from outside the area.
While Brown said all of the town's hotels had definitely been fully booked as a result of the event, the networking and information sharing were also big business opportunities for many of the attendees.
"We want as many communities to attend as possible," she said.
Union members were scheduled to be in talks with the employer on Sunday and Monday.
