Housing workers secure overwhelming mandate to fight for fair wages and improved services for the community.
FORT SIMPSON, NWT — Members of Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)/Union of Northern Workers (UNW) Local 13 representing Fort Simpson Housing Authority workers met on August 6 to review the latest updates from their collective bargaining with the Fort Simpson Housing Authority.
Members in attendance voted unanimously in favour of striking after the designated conciliation period ended without a tentative deal. The Local’s elected bargaining team felt that the employer failed to move on priority areas like wages, with proposed increases falling well below those negotiated in other agreements elsewhere in the Northwest Territories.
Workers are demanding that the employer come to the table with economic increases that reflect the value of their work and will enable the longer-term recruitment and retention of employees. Consistently low wages that fail to reflect the difficult realities of living in the North have meant years of staffing shortages for the Housing Authority, causing overwork and burnout for workers and ultimately leading to poorer service for families who rely on this housing.
“Our members in Fort Simpson, and workers across the North, deserve fair wages, safe work hours, sufficient staffing, and respect for their work,” said Josée-Anne Spirito, Regional Executive Vice-President for PSAC’s North Region. “Instead of lining corporate pockets by contracting out this critical work, this employer must put in place wages to support staff and ensure the right people are in place to provide better services to communities.”
Chronic underfunding of housing by the Government of Northwest Territories is having real impacts on Housing Authority workers and their clients. For the past five years, low wages in Fort Simpson have made it challenging to recruit certified plumbers and oil burner mechanics, meaning workers must spend most of their time on emergency repairs without enough resources for periodic maintenance.
“Taking job action is always a last resort, but the overwhelming support for our strike mandate shows we are prepared to do what it takes to win a fair contract,” said Sandy Kidd, a long-time Housing Authority worker and member of the Local 13 bargaining team. “We stand together with all residents of Fort Simpson and the Northwest Territories to insist on fair access to quality housing, and to support those most in need in our community.”
PSAC/UNW will begin mediated negotiations on August 20 in an effort to avert job action. The union remains hopeful the employer will return to the bargaining table with a mandate to secure a contract that addresses the key outstanding issues for members.
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Media Inquiries:
Aaron Manton
Regional Political Communications Officer
mantona@psac-afpc.com
PSAC North is Canada’s largest union north of 60, representing more than 20,000 members in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. We support members in achieving better pay, safe working conditions, employment security, fair treatment, and respect in the workplace. Our members work for various employers, including federal, territorial, and municipal governments, non-profit organizations, and the private sector.