After the long looming threat of a strike was avoided over the weekend, a relieved Union of Northern Workers member is pushing for leadership change at the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 largest union, calling internal confusion, a lack of communication and the top brassSA国际影视传媒� inability to fairly represent its members SA国际影视传媒渁ppalling.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭odd Parsons is not representing me or my coworkers,SA国际影视传媒� Megan Holsapple, a Local 9 union member, told Yellowknifer in an interview Sunday evening. Yellowknifer has agreed not to identify her job position.

SA国际影视传媒淗e needs to hear clearly, we have no confidence in him. We want to him to step down,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Early Sunday morning, after two days of mediation talks, the territorial government and UNW announced while bargaining teams couldn't agree to a tentative new deal, both parties agreed to accept SA国际影视传媒渂inding recommendationsSA国际影视传媒� from mediator Vince Ready.  Government employees under the UNW have been without a collective agreement since 2016.

In doing so, the UNW agreed to call off its strike action planned for Monday, which would have affected around 4,000 employees across the territory and its communities.

In the weeks and days leading up to the strikeSA国际影视传媒檚 aversion, Holsapple says she and other UNW members were often left in the dark, given conflicting, even confusing, information from the unionSA国际影视传媒檚 Executive.

'No clarity this whole time'

SA国际影视传媒淐hanging stories just in the last week: weSA国际影视传媒檙e not sure if the strike is on, weSA国际影视传媒檙e not sure if weSA国际影视传媒檙e supposed to work; weSA国际影视传媒檙e checking constituency maps to find out if weSA国际影视传媒檙e striking. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e being told weSA国际影视传媒檙e being paid $117 a day, then itSA国际影视传媒檚 60 per cent (of our gross salary) ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 been no clarity this whole time,SA国际影视传媒� said Holsapple.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat concerns me the most is that weSA国际影视传媒檙e getting to see the inner-workings of a completely incompetent union,SA国际影视传媒� she added.

She said her loss of confidence in leadership is shared by the majority of members SA国际影视传媒� something she says the UNW is aware of.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey would have never suggested paying us 60 per cent of our salaries if they felt that we had confidence in what they were doing.SA国际影视传媒�

Last March, Holsapple voted no to striking. That vote, the UNW stated last week, saw 70 per cent of 50 to 55 per cent of the GNWT's rank and file vote yes to strike action.

SA国际影视传媒淎fter our ballots were cast, we lost all control of how this has played out. We asked for the offers to come back to members, we were told SA国际影视传媒榥o.SA国际影视传媒� We asked for another vote, we were told SA国际影视传媒榥o,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� said Holsapple.

She says Parsons told members before the vote, SA国际影视传媒渢he only way to avoid a strike is to vote to strike,SA国际影视传媒� a comment she found SA国际影视传媒渞idiculous.SA国际影视传媒�

In an email to Yellowknifer late Tuesday afternoon, Parsons stated, SA国际影视传媒�Ms. Holsapple and Mr. Enge do not represent the interests of the Union. The UNW must focus its energy on advancing workersSA国际影视传媒� issues based on real input from our members.SA国际影视传媒�

Last week, SA国际影视传媒 published an article in which Brad Enge, a former UNW Local 1 president, criticized the Union.

'We were engaging them:' UNW

Sean Dalton, the UNW's regional vice president for the North Great Slave Region and a member of the Union's Executive, rejected reports that leadership showed a lack of transparency, and said communication between the union and its members is a two-way street.

"I feel we were communicating very effectively with membership. We were engaging them. We had people in every community in the territory sign up to help distribute information and help get strike captains in every community," said Dalton.

"We had meeting upon meeting, we were phoning people, emailing people. I'm not sure how much the union can possibly do?" he asked. "ItSA国际影视传媒檚 up to the member to show up to the meetings, to sign up for the emails, to engage. The union is driven by the membership, and if they donSA国际影视传媒檛 engage itSA国际影视传媒檚 hard for us to communicate that way," added Dalton.

Stephanie Yuill, a Local 1 member of 11 years, agrees it's "really vital" for membership to get "more involved with our union," but she still sees "massive holes in the current situation."

For Yuill, Sunday's strike aversion brought "relief." Then "reflection."

After many sleepless nights, Yuill, too, says sheSA国际影视传媒檚 lost confidence in the UNW leadership, but stopped short at calling for Parsons to step down.

"There needs to some pretty significant changes, not necessary of union (leadership), but of how they deal with and communicate to the members. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a big concern for me.SA国际影视传媒�

Yuill was one of dozens of frustrated Local 1 members turned away at a UNW meeting Saturday after more than one hundred members SA国际影视传媒� many anxiously awaiting answers from their union ahead of the strike deadline SA国际影视传媒� flocked to the UNW building, forcing organizers to hold a second meeting at Mildred Hall School two hours later.

Frustrations reportedly boiled over there, too, with some members blasting leadershipSA国际影视传媒檚 lack of communication, a source inside the closed-to-media meeting said.

'Sending us to war with toothpicks'

Yuill, who also attended the meeting, said there was SA国际影视传媒渄efinitely a lot of confusion.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭he biggest thing I hope the union learns from this is improving their communication. When thereSA国际影视传媒檚 no clear communication, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 risks of rumors. Then it becomes even more scary when youSA国际影视传媒檙e not sure who to listen to,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Other disgruntled Local 1 members leaving SaturdaySA国际影视传媒檚 second UNW meeting lamented the lack of preparedness on the leadershipSA国际影视传媒檚 end.

SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e sending us to war with toothpicks,SA国际影视传媒� said one member who asked not to be named.

While confusion and uncertainty put SA国际影视传媒渦ndue stressesSA国际影视传媒� on employees already gripped by the threat of a far-reaching strike, Yuill said she SA国际影视传媒渟till believes in unions and the Union.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚'm not anti-union whatsoever, but I see some massive, massive holes in the current situation,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Yuill said she found there was a disconnect between the workplace issues that matter to her, and the issues the Union planned to strike for.

To SA国际影视传媒渂etter serve the different demands of such a diverse membership,SA国际影视传媒� Yuill suggested separating the Union.

That would ensure the needs of all members, including shift workers and relief workers, are met, said Yuill, adding a similar move from the UNW could restore her confidence.

For Megan Holsapple, funds should be going to the meet the SA国际影视传媒減rofoundSA国际影视传媒� needs that exist in the territory.

'If there's money, I want it to go to towards helping people'

SA国际影视传媒淭he government doesn't have a lot of money, it just doesn't. I want more investment in our public services SA国际影视传媒� making them bigger, better and easier to access.SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚f there's more money I want it to go toward helping people. You want to know who needs more funding? It's people in communities. It's really clear where the investments are and it's not my pocket,SA国际影视传媒� said Holsapple.

Moving forward, she said it's up to Parsons to answer to the loss of confidence.
SA国际影视传媒淭he number of people who support him is so small. He needs to defend himself.SA国际影视传媒�

After weeks of stress and living in constant uncertainty, Stephanie Yuill says she's now looking forward to getting some sleep.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's exhausting. I think so many people right now, on both sides, are exhausted. It's just been so difficult on everyone.SA国际影视传媒�

Recommendations from mediator Vince Ready could take up to 30 days before being finalized. There is a media blackout until the binding recommendations are released, meaning the GNWT won't comment until then.