The Yellowknife Gymnastics Club thought it would be able to avoid all of the current labour strife between the city and its unionized workers.

But there are plans for a picket at the Multiplex on Saturday and that means the club isnSA国际影视传媒檛 taking any chances.

Steve Thompson, the clubSA国际影视传媒檚 president, said on Friday evening that he had seen a copy of a memo that was sent to union members stating that the Multiplex would be the site for a picket on Saturday. In the memo, the goal is to SA国际影视传媒渟ee how effective it will be at shutting down the gymnastics events.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淎 couple of our parents received a copy of it either late yesterday or early today (Friday),SA国际影视传媒� said Thompson. SA国际影视传媒淚 saw it (Friday) morning and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 when I made the decision to close the club out of safety to our members.SA国际影视传媒�

In a previous interview with SA国际影视传媒 earlier this week, Thompson indicated that this very scenario was the one which he was most concerned about. He said during that interview that he would not force his members to cross a picket line and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what heSA国际影视传媒檚 doing with this shutdown.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e not going to gain anything by trying to do that and I canSA国际影视传媒檛 ask our members to cross a picket line,SA国际影视传媒� said Thompson. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 not going to put them in that situation.SA国际影视传媒�

After seeing the memo, Thompson said he got in touch with union representatives, who assured him that the planned picket wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 meant to target the gymnastics club in particular.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey e-mailed us and they were very cordial, not ignorant about the situation at all, and they told me that they understand (the club) isnSA国际影视传媒檛 a part of this,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 was told all they were going to do is picket and talk to people who came up to inform them about what was going on.SA国际影视传媒�

Thompson said he asked the union if they would let their members pass through to enter the side door of the club, which is the entrance that the club was using while the Multiplex was closed.

SA国际影视传媒淭he last e-mail contact I had was at 6 p.m. (Friday) and there was no indication,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

The club is located at the Multiplex, but is in the unique situation of owning its portion of the building outright. In addition to having its own entrance/exit, it also has washroom facilities located near the main doors inside the Multiplex.

Having to cancel sessions on Saturday means another day of lost revenue for a club which is already in a perilous financial position, according to Thompson.

He said refunds will have to be given for the missed classes on Saturday and that only adds to the money problems.

SA国际影视传媒淲e lost a lot of revenue during the pandemic and we havenSA国际影视传媒檛 been able to fully recover from that,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淗aving to give refunds just makes it even tougher for us to operate. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e going session by session to try and get an operating budget and we canSA国际影视传媒檛 even put one together right now. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e trying to avoid taking on more debt, but we canSA国际影视传媒檛 survive without revenue.SA国际影视传媒�

The club launched a fundraising campaign earlier this week to try and boost revenue and financial resources.

While Saturday is a wash, there could be trouble on Sunday as Thompson said heSA国际影视传媒檚 heard there could be another picket at the Multiplex that day as well.

But the message Thompson is trying to hammer home is that the club wants to remain neutral in this whole thing.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e not taking sides in this,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e work with both the city and those in the union and the last thing we want to do is get dragged into this dispute. I hope this gets solved soon.SA国际影视传媒�