Members of Union of Northern Workers (UNW) Local 21 in Hay River working with the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority (HRHSSA) have once again voted to give its bargaining team a strike mandate.
The vote happened between Oct. 12 and 14 at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 250. While the results weren’t immediately published, the UNW stated in a press release late Sunday afternoon that the membership decided to move ahead with striking.
Both sides resumed negotiations on Oct. 5 and 6, with the meeting mediated by the Canada Industrial Labour Relations Board. The union indicated that there had been some movement on some issues, but the union stated that the HRHSSA did not respond to the latest offer from the bargaining team.
The union claims that there are several issues outstanding, such as hours of work, provisions for uniforms for family preservation workers, short-term leave for training and matching bonuses or allowances which are negotiated at the GNWT level.
“Outside of HRHSSA, every other health care worker in the NWT – numbering approximately 2,100 – is represented by the GNWT bargaining unit,” stated the union on Oct. 10. “Refusing to match gains at the GNWT over a five-year agreement would mean HRHSSA workers would continually remain three years behind in compensation, and HRHSSA would not be able to compete with other communities in the NWT for health care staff.”
This is the second time that the union has voted in favour of strike action – the union declared on Sept. 8 that it would take strike action, but that was ruled unlawful by the Canada Industrial Labour Relations Board because the union didn’t provide the HRHSSA with a 72-hour notice when the strike was declared.
UNW president Gayla Thunstrom said that union members are uncertain about their future with their employer.
“After everything they’ve been through, the fact that they once again came out to support their bargaining team with a strong strike mandate should send a message to this employer that they need to do better,” she said. “They need to negotiate a deal that values and respects their workers.”
NNSL Media reached out to the HRHSSA for comment regarding the action taken by the union, but did not receive any as of press time.
Unionized employees have been without a deal since March 2021.