What’s taking us so long to get a deal?
TO: ALL UNION MEMBERS AT THE HAMLET OF TALOYOAK
Dear Members:
Your Union Bargaining Team has been trying for more than a year-and-half now to negotiate a new Collective Agreement with your Employer, the Hamlet of Taloyoak.
Unfortunately, after all this time, the Hamlet still has proposals on the table that are deal-breakers for the Union – because they single out some employees for unfair treatment. (The Union will address this issue in Communique #2.)
And even though your Employer is the only Hamlet in Nunavut that hasn’t provided employees with a pay increase since 2020, it’s wage offer is very substandard.
It is offering an 8-year deal averaging only 2.37% per cent per year, and this for Taloyoak, the third-most expensive Nunavut community to live in after Resolute and Grise Fiord.
The wage offer especially compares poorly for the last three years of the contract, which the Employer wants to extend until 2028.
For example: 2025 2026 2027
Taloyoak offer: 2.25% 2.25% 2.50%
Sanikiluaq negotiated deal 3.50% 4.00% 4.25%
Kinngait Arbitration Award 3.00% 3.50% 3.50% ‘
Additionally, the Union has just negotiated a renewal agreement at the Hamlet of Pangnirtung that provides employees the following wage increases: in 2024, 3.50%; in 2025, 4.00%; and in 2026, 3:00%. The Pangnirtung contract will expire in 2027.
As you can see, your Employer wants a longer-term deal, but doesn’t want to pay for it, even though we know we are going into very uncertain economic times, with global trade wars and tariffs that will make the costs of goods more expensive before they even get to Taloyoak.
It is very unfortunate that while expecting you to accept lower wage increases than the average of other communities, your Employer also has concessions on the table. These concessions are very serious and your Bargaining Team will address this in our next communication to you.
YOUR BARGAINING TEAM NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT TO GET YOU THE FAIR DEAL YOU DESERVE.
Please stay tuned for further information.
YOUR BARGAINING TEAM
Greg Sutherland
John Iqiliq
Gail Lem, PSAC Negotiator