Union of Northern Workers members could earn more while on strike than a previously stated amount of just over $100 per day.
Instead of the $117 per day for a minimum of four hours of strike activities including but not limited to picketing, union president Todd Parsons states members will receive 60 per cent of their gross salary for ‘strategic strike activities.’
“These strategic walkouts will help minimize the impact on union members, our families and our communities – especially important if government provocations end up prolonging any job action–while maintaining pressure on the GNWT to start treating public service employees fairly,” Parsons says.
MyYellowknifeNow has asked the union which workers would be receiving the gross pay and how long this would last. This story will be updated as information is received.
For Local 1 union members in Yellowknife, a general meeting is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. at the North Star Building 4910-53 Street. According to the UNW website, the meeting will discuss strike preparation. Local 1 includes all unionized GNWT employees except for the ministries of infrastructure and justice, Stanton Territorial Hospital and the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission.
Mediation between the union and the government is happening Friday and Saturday. If a tentative agreement is not reached, Parsons says unionized workers at the GNWT and the Northwest Territories Power Corporation will strike starting at 12:01 a.m. Monday. A general strike will be followed by strategic job actions to be announced, a union news release states Friday.
