NWT
Whether the territorial government intends to remove items from its contract with the Union of Northern Workers that could adversely impact employees is up for debate, although it's unclear what those items may be.

Todd Parsons, president of the Union of Northern Workers, answers a reporter's question Wednesday during a media briefing on the state of contract negotiations. Beside him is Shaleen Woodward, lead negotiator for the GNWT. After seven days of bargaining, talks are now on hold until March. The union contract is set to expire March 31. - John McFadden/NNSL photo

The GNWT and the Union of Northern Workers, which represents 4,000 workers, is currently in negotiations for a new collective agreement, which expires March 31. Todd Parsons, union president, and Shaleen Woodward, lead negotiator for the government, briefed the media on the the process last Wednesday.

"The government's position is that they're not pursuing concessions. The union would feel somewhat different in that we may perceive some ... of the proposed changes to be a concession," said Parsons, who declined to get specific..

A concession, according to Parsons, is "anything that is going to be changed that has a negative impact on the union workers."

"The bargaining team will decide if they view it to be a concession or not," he added.

There are 11 members on the UNW team and four representatives from the GNWT.

Woodward didn't address whether the GNWT was asking for concessions during the media briefing, but reached after by e-mail government spokesperson Andrew Livingstone said "The GNWT doesn't view anything in its opening proposal as concessionary."

The government is facing a $33 million decrease in its federal grant and has pointed out the 2014 GDP is 7.5 per cent lower than the five-year average prior to the 2008 recession.

"The Snap Lake decision ... and the territorial funding formula reduction from the federal government ... puts us in a fairly difficult position fiscally and so we need to make some decisions on how we are going to deal with that," said Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod in a previous interview.

Despite this, Parsons said at this point he understands the government is not seeking job cuts or layoffs.

"They did say the employer does not intend on changing the workforce as it stands right now," Parsons said. "The union interpreted that to mean we're not facing layoffs."

Ongoing discussions

The union is seeking more vacation time and leave time for family deaths in its collective agreement.

Monetary issues have not been discussed so far, said Parsons.

"The union negotiating team hasn't developed its pay package. We'd like to keep up with the cost of living," Parsons said, adding a more comprehensive pay package will be put forward later in the process.

He added the union wants a stronger workplace-harassment policy, which he said ranks very high in priority among the regular members. Woodward said discussing issues like harassment in the workplace is also fruitful from the employer's perspective and gives the government a better sense of what the concerns are in the workplace.

Neither side was prepared to talk about what other issues specifically discussed.

Parsons said issues such as compassionate leave and sexual harassment policy will likely be handled during the next negotiating session before the two sides start addressing monetary issues.

The two sides are scheduled to meet next in late March. If a new agreement isn't negotiated by that time, the current one stands.

Neither party has officially put a position on the table as to how long the new collective agreement would last for, Parsons said. He added the length of the contract may very well be the last item negotiated. The current agreement was for four years. Both sides said that there is a lengthy process, including mediation, before a strike or lockout position.