SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 going to say this very clearly, I want to see a deal and I want to see people treated fairly, and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not been happening.SA国际影视传媒�

ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 the message from new Nunavut Employees Union (NEU) president Jason Rochon to MLA candidates across Nunavut.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think change is always good. Getting fresh perspectives a great thing,SA国际影视传媒� he said following a three-year stalemate with the Government of Nunavut in achieving a new collective agreement.

Like the next batch of MLAs, who will be elected on Oct. 25, Rochon was chosen as the unionSA国际影视传媒檚 new leader during the NEUSA国际影视传媒檚 convention on Oct. 7. He succeeds Bill Fennell, who was at the helm over the past seven years.

If thereSA国际影视传媒檚 no indication of negotiations progress in the near future, Rochon said he wonSA国际影视传媒檛 hesitate to call a strike vote.

SA国际影视传媒淲hatever our members want, ISA国际影视传媒檒l be there with them,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

A former student support assistant at Joamie School in Iqaluit, Rochon describes the lack of a deal over the past three years as SA国际影视传媒渁bsolutely unacceptable.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檇 been bargaining in good faith with the government in hopes of reaching a collective agreement, and then the government engaged in bad-faith bargaining, forcing us to take them to court,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 feel like they should know better, so they should be doing betterSA国际影视传媒� so itSA国际影视传媒檚 time for them to make some improvements.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey can talk all they want about getting back to the bargaining table but unless theySA国际影视传媒檙e going to actually follow that up with some action, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 no reason to sit there and listen to them conduct themselves in the way that theySA国际影视传媒檝e treated our members in the last three years.SA国际影视传媒�

The NEU will equip its approximately 5,000 members with information, email addresses and draft letters to send to the MLA candidates of their choice to reinforce how essential a new collective agreement is to them, according to Rochon.

A member of the NEU for 16 years and a former 2nd vice-president and secretary for the organization, Rochon said the NEUSA国际影视传媒檚 membership deserves credit for repeatedly bringing Covid-19 cases back to zero in the territory.

Other objectives he has in mind for his two-year term as president include ensuring that job postings make clear how to access support for mental health and well-being and that domestic violence leave is paid.

GN sought return to bargaining: official

Fennell, while still NEU president, insisted that the union made an effort to resume bargaining but was rebuffed by the GN.

SA国际影视传媒淚 went to the assistant deputy minister, who is the lead GN employee on the bargaining team, and I asked him to go back to the table, and he refused, saying that they have nothing more to offer,SA国际影视传媒� said Fennell. SA国际影视传媒淪o it was actually the GN refusing to bargain, despite what the minister saidSA国际影视传媒� ItSA国际影视传媒檚 out there that the union did nothing after the minister invited us back to the table, and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not true, and that pisses me off. And I was told no, that it was up to us to change our position, and we canSA国际影视传媒檛 accept what theySA国际影视传媒檙e offering.SA国际影视传媒�

Grant McMichael, assistant deputy minister of operations with the Department of Human Resources, provided a different version of events.

SA国际影视传媒淲e do not negotiate in public but given the NEUSA国际影视传媒檚 statement, we can confirm that we proactively provided a without-prejudice offer to the NEU since the time they have taken legal action and the NEU rejected that offer without meeting with the GN,SA国际影视传媒� said McMichael. SA国际影视传媒淪ubsequently, the GN has stated and continues to state we are open to meet for negotiations and look forward to a positive response by the NEU. At no time has the GN refused to go to the table and would welcome the opportunity to do so.SA国际影视传媒�