City of Yellowknife, union to resume talks as threat of strike looms

Under the threat of an imminent municipal strike, the City of Yellowknife and the union representing most unionized city workers plan to resume negotiations next week.

According to the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) North, a federally appointed mediator reached out to the union and the city last Friday about restarting talks.

The city offered availability on Jan. 30, and the union did the same on Feb. 1, PSAC spokesperson Yusur Al-Bahrani wrote in an email. Both parties will go into mediation for the early part of next week.

"We hope that the city will come to the table with a fair deal, but PSAC/UNW [Union of Northern Workers] members are continuing to prepare for a strike if they don't," wrote Al-Bahrani.

City spokesperson Sarah Sibley confirmed that the city and the union agreed to re-enter negotiations next week "through the regular channel, between our bargaining teams at the bargaining table." 

Labour dispute intensifies

The city and the PSAC have been without a collective agreement since Dec. 31, 2021. The parties left the table in December 2022, when negotiations aided by a federally appointed mediator failed to produce a deal. 

Since then, the labour dispute has grown increasingly intense, with the unions accusing the city of acting in bad faith and attempting to circumvent the collective bargaining process. The city maintains it's committed to the bargaining process and the negotiation of a collective agreement.

Then last month, members of PSAC Local X0345 voted in favour of going on strike. The unions have not said how many members voted for or against the job action.

PSAC says if they can't reach an agreement with the city, workers could walk off the job as early as Wednesday.

"We're down to the crunch and we really do hope for the employer to say, 'Well, wait a second, I don't know if it's worth it. We should just probably try and talk and see if we can get somewhere before we have to go to that extent,'" said Lorraine Rousseau, regional executive vice-president of PSAC North, on Thursday.

UNW, PSAC publish letter to mayor and council

As the plan to resume negotiations was in the works, UNW and PSAC North, its parent union, sent a joint letter, dated Jan. 31, to Yellowknife's mayor and council. The letter was published on UNW's website the next day.

The unions called on the elected officials to tell the city to return to the table with a new offer and "a mind to good faith bargaining."

"Direct your bargaining team to present an offer that will improve recruitment and retention, that will allow your workers to keep up to the rising cost of living, and that will show City of Yellowknife employees that they are valued and respected," wrote Rousseau and Gayla Thunstrom, UNW president.

Mayor Rebecca Alty sent UNW and PSAC a short response on Thursday, which the city sent to CBC. It said the city proposed on Jan. 30 to resume negotiations, and that the city is committed to the bargaining process and negotiating a collective agreement with PSAC Local X0345.

"The City will continue to respect the negotiating table as the place where negotiations towards an agreement occur," wrote Alty.

CBC reached out to the mayor and each of Yellowknife's eight city councillors. None of the councillors would speak about the unions' letter or the city's labour situation.   

Neither Alty nor city manager Sheila Bassi-Kellett accepted CBC's interview requests. 

City's offer 'insulting,' says union

In its letter, the unions wrote that the city's final offer during mediation in December was "insulting" to their members.

The city has not publicly stated the wage increases it's offering, but in an email to city staff obtained by CBC, city manager Sheila Bassi-Kellett said its offer includes, among other items, a two per cent increase on salary retroactive to Jan. 1, 2022, and a two per cent increase effective Jan. 1, 2023. 

PSAC also won't say publicly exactly what wage increase it's asking for, but Rousseau said it's between two and seven per cent.

"The members, they just really do want that fair deal," said Rousseau. "They're just asking for a reasonable, manageable, fair deal wherein they can survive within their own community."

City hasn't said what services would stop in a strike

The city hasn't said yet what facilities would close and what services would stop in the event of a strike. 

"The City of Yellowknife understands the concerns some residents may have regarding potential impacted City services, and will update residents of any changes without delay," wrote Sibley, the city spokesperson. 

"At this time, the City cannot speculate on this situation as the process is still ongoing."