Union and GNWT to resume contract negotiations in March
Strike raised as option by members in union document
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Friday, January 13, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The Union of Northern Workers and the territorial government are set to resume contract talks in March, more than a year after negotiations to reach a new collective agreement began.
Todd Parsons, Union of Northern Workers president, says he wants to meet with members before scheduling further talks. - |
Three days in March have been scheduled for the continuation of negotiations involving the union representing about 3,900 territorial government workers whose collective agreement expired in March last year.
The sides last met in late September and exchanged wage proposals, though the union called that session "futile" in an update to members.
Todd Parsons, president of the Union of Northern Workers (UNW), said the intention was to meet with union members before asking the GNWT for dates to continue talks.
"We're still consulting with our members. I've had the opportunity to go out and talk with several hundred members over the last couple months," Parsons said in mid-December.
He wasn't available for an interview this week.
The GNWT is "committed to working with the Union of Northern Workers to come to an agreement that works for both parties," cabinet spokesperson Andrew Livingstone stated in an e-mail Tuesday.
Around the same time Parsons spoke to Yellowknifer, the union posted a document on its website called "what members are saying, what members want to know" after calling for input from its members on the bargaining process.
One unattributed comment states the GNWT is behaving unreasonably during negotiations.
"I support whatever methods are required - including a strike - to force the GNWT to negotiate a reasonable contract," the unnamed member apparently stated in the document.
It's unclear when all the comments were gathered. One comment urges a strike if the GNWT's "dismal and dismissive offer" isn't changed before passing the 2016 budget (it passed in June).
The Union of Northern Workers has called for millions of dollars in additional perks as part of the new contract, including three-per-cent increases to salaries each year for three years.
The GNWT has said it can't afford any increase in the first two years but could offer one per cent in the third and fourth years of a new agreement.
The GNWT rejected the demands which were estimated to cost $11.8 million this fiscal year.
Together with previous proposals during negotiations that began in January, the government estimates the new items would cost $29.8 million this fiscal year.
Should the sides fail to reach an agreement during negotiations, a mediator can be brought in.
If that also fails and union members give a strike mandate, a labour dispute could take place.
- with files from Jessica Davey-Quantick
