Nunavut workers vote yes to strike action

Unionized workers at the Government of Nunavut have voted in favour of strike action, the Nunavut Employees Union said Dec. 5 in a news release.

“The failure of the government to move on any of our issues and the slow pace of the bargaining process were determining factors in our members’ decision to give their negotiating team a strong strike mandate,” NEU President Doug Workman said in the release.

GN workers at all territorial government departments and agencies, except for the Qulliq Power Corp., which is covered by a separate collective agreement, voted by an 85 per cent margin to go on strike, if necessary.

Their last collective agreement expired in September 2010.

The NEU said many outstanding issues still divide the two sides, including pay, the northern allowance, vacation leave and issues related to health care workers are unresolved.

On pay, the GN is offering no wage increase in the first year of a new four year contract, and increases of 1 per cent for the three years that would follow.

“Our members want to continue to provide services to the people of Nunavut,” Workman said. “Unfortunately, we may be forced to act if the government won’t take our negotiations seriously.”

They are also unhappy with certain government demands related to casual and term workers, and various conditions of employment.

The union held its last bargaining session with the GN this past August.

Between Feb. 19 and Feb. 21, 2012, the two sides will sit down with a mediator in an attempt to iron out their differences.

Last week, the NEU announced that workers with the QEC voted 89 per cent in favour of a strike.

(More to follow)