Unionized Nunavik health workers ready to strike

IQALUIT — Last week union members at Kuujjuaq’s Ungava Tulattavik Health Centre gave their executive a mandate to start pressure tactics.

The union wants a solution to correct the adverse effects of taxation on the various forms of compensation for remote postings, premiums that have lost much of their value since 1992 when they began to be taxed.

The health-care workers want the same compensation and benefits packages as nurses. Last April, the Quebec government agreed to give nurses a $15,000 premium to offset taxation and a $7000 isolation premium for nurses in small clincs.

The 305 union members of the health centre, and seven community clinics voted 83 per cent in favour of a strike call when judged appropriate. They also voted 97 per cent in favour of an immediate work-to-rule strike.

This work-to-rule action, which would see union members doing only tasks defined in their job descriptions, could start within two weeks, according to a union representative.