Iqaluit Housing Authority (IHA) workers breathed a sigh of relief on Aug. 1, when a 136-day labour dispute with their employer finally came to end.

The 13 striking IHA staff, who are members of the Nunavut Employees Union (NEU), walked off the job on March 17, and will finally return to their positions on Aug. 3.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey feel like they survived a battle, and they knew their worth, and theySA国际影视传媒檙e very happy with the results,SA国际影视传媒� said NEU president Jason Rochon. SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e looking forward to getting back to the workplace.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e talking about young, local workers. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e our future, and ISA国际影视传媒檓 really happy that theySA国际影视传媒檙e happy with the deal.SA国际影视传媒�

The NEUSA国际影视传媒檚 labour dispute with IHA was relatively high-profile, in large part because it lasted so long.

Rochon said IHA employees were prepared for a drawn-out fight, but were disappointed nonetheless by the slow pace of negotiations.

SA国际影视传媒淣EU has ratified three other deals in less than the last two months, and they were all much easier,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淯sually a strike doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 last this long.

SA国际影视传媒淲e knew the strike could be over three days after we were on the picket line or it could be a couple months. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 unfortunate that it went this long, but of course we held the line and never gave up.SA国际影视传媒�

There were several key developments in the IHA labour dispute over the last few weeks, most notably a face-to-face meeting in Ottawa on July 21, and a substantial shuffling of the IHA board of directors on July 28.

NEU called the Ottawa meeting a disappointment, but were quick to acknowledge the director changes as a positive sign.

Those changes turned out to be an important turning point in resolving the dispute, according to Rochon.

SA国际影视传媒淭he tone on Monday [July 31], and leading up to Monday, we were looking forward to having real conversations,SA国际影视传媒� he said of the first meeting with the new board, which he called SA国际影视传媒渢he first real negotiationsSA国际影视传媒� of the 136-day saga.

SA国际影视传媒淲e were looking forward to a little bit of a change and we did see that change,SA国际影视传媒� he added. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 reflected in the fact that we got the results we were asking for.SA国际影视传媒�

The IHA workersSA国际影视传媒� new agreement includes SA国际影视传媒渇air wage increases,SA国际影视传媒� according to a news release SA国际影视传媒� those pay bumps are important to counterbalance the high cost of living in Nunavut.

SA国际影视传媒淭he reality is the cost of living in Nunavut is very expensive,SA国际影视传媒� Rochon said. SA国际影视传媒淲e need to make sure that people have an opportunity to keep up. The days of just surviving are over. People need to be able to go to work and thrive.SA国际影视传媒�

The dispute wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 just about money, though.

IHA workers ultimately won many other improvements, including the addition of National Truth and Reconciliation Day as a paid holiday, 10 days of family violence leave (five paid and five unpaid) and one additional week of paid maternity leave allowance.

They are also now entitled to four days off for traditional Inuit cultural pursuits, such as hunting and fishingSA国际影视传媒攖wo paid and two unpaid.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 an extra four opportunities for our members to be able to go out and provide for their families and connect with their culture,SA国际影视传媒� Rochon said.

As IHA employees return to the workplace, Rochon believes they have set an important precedent for future labour disputes in Nunavut and broader Canada.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople are using their voices more and more, every day,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淧eople are going to see these 13 young workers using their voices and knowing their worth, and itSA国际影视传媒檚 going to send the right message: that the days of pushing people around are over.SA国际影视传媒�

Two days after the the IHASA国际影视传媒檚 new deal was ratified, Lorne Kusugak, minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation (NHC), issued a statement on the resolution of the dispute.

SA国际影视传媒淲e are pleased to see that the unionized workers will return to work,SA国际影视传媒� Kusugak said. SA国际影视传媒淣HC recognizes the challenges and pressures over the past months relative to the labour dispute between the IHA and the NEU. I want to thank all those involved in the bargaining teams for achieving a fair agreement this past Monday.SA国际影视传媒�