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No movement from city in altered wage demand: UNW and PSAC North

The Union of Northern Workers (UNW) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) North sat down with the city earlier this month to try and hammer out a deal through mediation.
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The bargaining team representing the Union of Northern Workers and the Public Service Alliance of Canada North issued its new proposal to the city on Wednesday evening. In it, there was an altered wage demand along with some changes from its previous proposal. NNSL file photo

The Union of Northern Workers (UNW) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) North sat down with the city earlier this month to try and hammer out a deal through mediation.

It didn’t work, as you can probably tell by the picket lines still up around city-operated facilities. But both unions have revealed exactly what was put on the table during a session on Feb. 13.

According to a press release issued on Wednesday evening, the bargaining team working on behalf of both unions — Reilly Hinchey, Geraldine Penney and Karlee McKay — stated that it presented a proposal consisting of a 3.75 per cent wage increase beginning Jan. 1, 2022 and Jan. 1, 2023. That was a change from the proposed five per cent wage ask for Jan. 1, 2022, and three per cent for this year.

The proposal also included signing bonuses for every unionized employee, depending on their status with the city: $1,000 for permanent full-time, term and casual full-time employees; $500 for each permanent part-time and seasonal employee and; $250 for each casual part-time employee.

There was also the addition of one extra day of leave per year with pay for personal reasons. The original demand was two days per year, but that seems to have been amended. As well, some items which were in the previous proposal seem to not be included in this one, such as a shutdown over the Christmas season much like the GNWT’s “Donny Days”.

The release stated that the city did not respond to the updated proposal when it was presented and while the release stated that the city did withdraw some concessions, it would not “entertain our new salary proposal and said once again that they could not meet us on wages.”

The city claimed back on Feb. 10 that the original demands made by the union would cost more than $1.6 million and result in a 4.79 per cent property tax increase to pay for it.

There was no immediate response from the city to a request. NNSL Media will update this story should one arrive.