Nunavut Employees Union and territorial government reach tentative agreement

The Government of Nunavut and the Nunavut Employees Union reached a tentative settlement on a new collective agreement Thursday.

The previous agreement expired in September 2014.

Both sides say they cannot release any details of the agreement until it is ratified.

Union president Bill Fennell said negotiations went "haltingly in the beginning" and they needed a mediator who "worked real hard" with both sides this week.

"We got some things and we gave up some things," he said. "There were a few concessions, although not major ones, for everyone.

"It's been a long two years and we'll be back to the table in two years, even though it's a four-year deal."

The Nunavut Employees Union says the ratification process is expected to take at least a month because of the need to travel to the communities for the ratification vote.

Once the union ratifies the agreement, the government will take it to cabinet.