The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC-North)/Nunavut Employees Union (NEU) Bargaining Team held its third Bargaining Session with the Government of Nunavut (GN) in Iqaluit during the week of May 6, 2019.  As reported in our second bargaining update, the parties had agreed to begin negotiations on financial proposals during this third Bargaining Session. After four days of bargaining, the PSAC-North/NEU Team can report that while it is not happy with the GN’s initial financial offers, there has been enough movement to keep us at the table.

 

The PSAC-North/NEU team met for a full-day caucus on May 6, 2019 to review and finalize a fully-costed financial package based on Member input and priorities. On May 7, 2019, after summarizing the proposals that remained on the table from the first two Bargaining Sessions, the Team presented its financial package to the GN. 

 

The PSAC-North/NEU Team was very disappointed with the GN’s initial response to its package, which focused almost exclusively on salary with an offer well-below projected inflation for Nunavut. Despite that disappointment, the Union tabled another package maintaining its positions on almost all of its financial proposals while making it clear that we needed to see movement on other Member demands if we were going to find a way to an agreement.  The GN responded by removing concessionary proposals and by beginning to address Union demands on the Nunavut Northern Allowance.

 

Much work remains to be done.  The PSAC-North/NEU Team remains disappointed with the GN’s latest financial offer and its refusal to engage with other important Union demands, such as our proposal on Domestic Violence Leave and proposals to reduce the vulnerability of relief workers. Nevertheless, the Union has agreed to more bargaining dates in Rankin Inlet the week of June 3, 2019 in the hopes of making more progress and advancing our members’ demands. 

 

The Union will issue another bargaining update following that Bargaining Session.

 

In solidarity,

Your PSAC-North/NEU Bargaining Team 

 

Noel Collins; Simon Doiron; Linda Hunter; Ruth Kaluraq; Abraham Qammaniq; Rick Roberts;

Bill Fennell (NEU President); Darren Pacione (PSAC Researcher) and John Eustace (PSAC Negotiator).