Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
FortSmithlibraryfacingcutswithoutboosttobudgetIncreasingusageofFortSmithsMaryKaeserLibrarywithoutafundingboosttomatchin2015willseecutstoprogramsandoperations.Seepage3.CarolstocelebratetheholidayseasonSpreadthejoyofmusicwiththeNorthernJournalsan-nualholidaysongbookfea-turingclassicsandmodernfavourites.Seepages13-16.CHRISTMASSPIRITFortSmithyouthcelebratethetruemeaningoftheholidays.Seepage26.StudentsshowoffskillsduringcollegeTradesOlympicsHighschoolstudentsfromacrosstheSouthSlavespentaweekatAuroraCollegesThe-bachaCampusgettingtradestraining.Seepage10.FirstNationwantsWoodBuffaloparkdeclaredat-riskTheMikisewCreeFirstNationisseekingindangerdesigna-tionforWoodBuffaloNationalParkfromUNESCOduetohydroandoilsandsconcerns.Seepage7.VISITWWW.NORJ.CAAnationalawardwinningindependentnewspaperservingnorthernAlbertaandtheNorthwestTerritoriessince19771.00December162014Vol.38No.33FortSmithHousingAuthoritystaffvoteunanimouslyinfavourofstrikeByDALICARMICHAELInanefforttoprotecttheirhard-wonprivilegesachievedoverthelastseveralyearsstaffmembersoftheFortSmithHousingAuthor-ityFSHAunanimouslyvotedinfavourofastrikelastThursdayintheeventthatmutualtermscan-notbereachedwhiletheunionandcompanyworktoestablishnewcontracts.ThetwoorganizationshavebeenbuttingheadssincestaffcontractsexpiredbackinMarchofthisyear.TheUnionofNorthernWorkersUNWinpartnershipwiththePublicServiceAllianceofCanadaPSAChavebeenworkingtoavoidanyemployerclawbacksonbehalfofthecompanyseightstaffmem-berswhofallundertheLocal02unionbranch.TheirsisntamoneyissuepersesaidJackBourassaregionalex-ecutivepresidentforPSACNorthwhoattendedthestrike-voteheldattheSaltRiverFirstNationofcetheeveningofDec.11.Theydidnthavemanyissuesbutwhattheemployerislookingforisconces-sionstakingbackthosethingsthathavebeenbargainedforoverseverancepackageswhenmembersretireorquit.Theresalsoquestionsofwagesinvolvedbuttheyrestillnotatthatstageofthegamewheretherearetoseewhattheeconomyisdoingatanygiventimesoifthecostoflivinggoesupsubstantiallyoverthecourseofthreeyearstheywouldhavetowaitanextrayearbeforeyoucanrevisittheagreementtoseewhatadjustmentsareneeded.Thestrikevotecameafteralmostninemonthsandatleasttworoundsoffailedbargaining.ContractnegotiationsforthemostparthavebrokendownBourassasaid.Theyhavenotbeenabletoseeeyetoeyeonalotofdif-ferentsubjectssotheyvemadeanapplicationforconciliationwhichwillhappenonthe22ndor23rdofDecember.Goingintoconcili-ationwevepolledthememberswithregardtoastrikevotetoseewhatmandatewecangivethebar-gainingteam.Shouldthoseconciliationef-fortsfailtherewillbea21-daygraceperiodbeforeanystrikeac-tioncanoccur.SeeBargainingonpage2.theyearsandthemembershipatthistimeisnotpreparedtogiveupthosethings.AccordingtoBourassatheFSHAwantedtopullbackitemsinclud-ingstaffvacationtravelallow-ancesandallowancespertainingtoanyhardandfastdollarguresattachedtothemBourassasaid.Theproblemliesinthefactthattheemployerislookingforafour-yeardealasopposedtothetypicalthree-year.Inthisthree-yeardealitcertainlygivespeopleachanceWhattheemployerislookingforisconces-sionstakingbackthosethingsthathavebeenbargainedforovertheyearsandthemembershipatthistimeisnotpreparedtogiveupthosethings.JackBourassaPSACNorthPhotoFredCattrolArcticInspirationPrizeTHETHEJOURNALSHOLIDAYSONGBOOKJOURNALSHOLIDAYSONGBOOKTheteamfromArcticFOXYwerehappilysurprisedtowinthemilliondollarArcticInspirationPrizeinOttawaonDec.10.Inthethree-yearhistoryoftheawardthefullprizeamounthasneverbeengiventoasinglewinneruntilnow.Formoreonthisstorycheckoutpage9.