The City of Yellowknife has apparently come to terms with Union of Northern Workers (UNW) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) North on a new collective agreement.
CBC News first reported the tentative deal, which was first announced in the form of a letter posted to the city’s website on Sunday afternoon. The letter outlined a special council meeting scheduled for Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. by teleconference to give first, second and third reading to By-Law No. 5066, which authorizes the collective agreement between the unions representing city workers and the city.
Sheila Bassi-Kellett, the city’s manager, signed the letter in question.
If the motion passes through council, it still has to be ratified by union members before it comes into effect. Details of the agreement have not yet been made public.
The tentative deal could bring an end to a strike which began back on Feb. 8 following the breakdown of negotiations between both sets of bargaining teams through a mediator. The city and unions have been negotiating a new deal since May 2022 with no luck; the unions turned down the city’s offer of binding arbitration late last month, stating that a negotiated deal was the best way forward.
If the deal is ratified, it would pave the way for city facilities to re-open, including the Fieldhouse, Multiplex, Ruth Inch Memorial Pool, Yk Community Arena, Yellowknife Public Library and the solid waste facility, among others.