The Nunavut Employees Union (NEU) is urging its members to pressure MLA candidates for a new collective agreement as the last one expired three years ago as of Sept. 30.

The next step after that will be a strike vote, union president Bill Fennell said.

The NEU hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 gone on strike during the COVID-19 pandemic despite enduring the longest period without a negotiated agreement in the organizationSA国际影视传媒檚 history.

SA国际影视传媒淧utting the public at risk by pulling serviceSA国际影视传媒� ethically, it wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be right,SA国际影视传媒� Fennell said, explaining the reluctance to take job action over the past year and a half. SA国际影视传媒淚s it OK now? ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 questionable. But they (the Government of Nunavut) have not given us any more choices at this point.SA国际影视传媒�

The union represents more than 5,000 workers, or about one out of every eight Nunavummiut, which the NEU describes as a SA国际影视传媒渟izeable voting groupSA国际影视传媒� heading into the Oct. 25 territorial election.

SA国际影视传媒淗opefully there will be a more compassionate group of MLAs in the next government,SA国际影视传媒� said Fennell. SA国际影视传媒淭he ridiculous thing is that the people that theySA国际影视传媒檙e hurtingSA国际影视传媒� is their brothers and sisters, parents, neighbours, cousins. Those are the people who are working and providing quality public service and getting nothing in return.SA国际影视传媒�

The NEU and the GN are not far apart on wages SA国际影视传媒� approximately one per cent, according to Fennell SA国际影视传媒� but remain at loggerheads over Northern allowance, and the union wants five paid days off for government employees who suffer from incidents of domestic violence. The GN currently offers up to 17 weeks of leave in such circumstances, but all unpaid.

The Northern allowance, which helps cover the cost of living in the territory, hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 increased in 13 years, Fennell said. A mediator tried to bring the two parties to a resolution on Oct. 28, 2019 but the GN changed its Northern allowance offer to $16.5 million in total, far less than the $33.8 million proposed months earlier. The government claimed the previous offer was so much higher due to a mathematical error, according to Fennell.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou canSA国际影视传媒檛 offer something and then take it away. If they made a mistake then they should have eaten it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 see how any judge in any courtroom in this country could say thatSA国际影视传媒檚 good-faith bargaining.SA国际影视传媒�

Furthermore, Fennell said the governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 proposed hike in Northern allowance would disproportionately benefit the Qikiqtani region, leaving the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot with sparse gains.

SA国际影视传媒淕iving stuff to one region and not the others, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 clearly an attempt to divide the membership,SA国际影视传媒� he asserted. SA国际影视传媒淣ow theySA国际影视传媒檙e trying to drive a wedge between the members. We canSA国际影视传媒檛 allow it.SA国际影视传媒�

The union filed a statement of claim against the GN in the Nunavut Court of Justice in November 2019, accusing the territorial government of violating the Public Service Act by bargaining in bad faith. The lawsuit seeks $50,000 in damages for allegedly failing to work towards the conclusion of a new collective agreement in good faith, and would compel the GN to make SA国际影视传媒渆very reasonable effortSA国际影视传媒� to reach a deal.

COVID-19 has caused delays in the legal process because the courts are backlogged. However, the parties were at an impasse prior to the pandemic, the NEU president noted.

The union has been open to binding arbitration but the GN has been opposed, Fennell said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey donSA国际影视传媒檛 want it because what theySA国际影视传媒檙e doing is unfair and unjust, and they know that an arbitrator is going to give the union more,SA国际影视传媒� he contended.

Human Resources Minister David Akeeagok was asked in the legislative assembly on Sept. 14 about entering into binding arbitration to settle a collective agreement.

SA国际影视传媒淗aving reached a negotiated agreement is an outcome that we want to see,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淗aving been told to go through the arbitration, which basically youSA国际影视传媒檙e being told what to do, is not the right way.SA国际影视传媒�

Akeeagok encouraged the NEU to return to the bargaining table.

SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e waiting on a court case. They donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to sit with us until that court case is done. That has dragged on far too long and I encourage them to come back. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e prepared. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e ready to have an agreement with our collective agreements,SA国际影视传媒� the minister said. SA国际影视传媒淚 do applaud our hard-working public service and I hope that we do come up with a collective agreement that both parties can agree to.SA国际影视传媒�

The union doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 yet have a date for the resumption of its legal action against the GN.

FennellSA国际影视传媒檚 position as president is up for election on Oct. 7.