FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  May 22, 2001

IQALUIT - A majority of Public Service Alliance of Canada Nunavut Employees Union (NEU) members working for the Government of Nunavut voted in favour of the employer's final offer for their first collective agreement since the creation of the new territory.

"The members have spoken," said NEU President Doug Workman. "They have told us they want to take a phased in approach with the Government of Nunavut by accepting an offer, which, even if it did not settle all the outstanding issues, was an improvement over what was initially offered at the negotiating table. The members were able to make good progress because of the strong strike mandate they gave their bargaining team last November and the strike actions they took in April. The employer's final offer contained improved language on many issues, but in particular on a cost-of-living allowance and travel assistance."

"We are also pleased with the excellent turnout of members who voted on this offer," added Workman. The Nunavut Employees Union was created less than three years ago and we succeeded in developing more interest and more activism in the union membership. Our future looks promising."

"Although the strike is over and our members will be back to work", added Jean-François Des Lauriers, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for the North, "we will have to make sure that no members are punished because they participated in strike actions. We will be sitting with the employer to negotiate a back-to-work protocol which will include protective clauses for these people. We will also need to clarify some articles of the new collective agreement."

The new collective agreement will end March 31, 2003 and provide a 3.5% salary increase, retroactive to April 1, 2000, a 2.75% increase, retroactive to April 1, 2001, and a 2.75% increase on April 1, 2002. A Travel Assistance programme is included in a new Northern Allowance that takes into consideration the cost of air travel from each community to its nearest designated southern city. The Northern Allowance has been recalculated to take into account the needs for each community. There are other improvements as well.

The Nunavut Employees Union represents workers of the Government of Nunavut and is a Component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC). Negotiations with the employer started on December 6, 1999.

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Spokespersons:
Doug Workman, President, NEU - (867) 979-4209
Jean-François Des Lauriers, REVP - North, PSAC - (867) 669-0991

22-05-01