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10TuesdayFebruary242015BridgestoneBlizzakMichelinX-IceNokianR2TIRENORTHLTD.917MacKenzieHwySS22HayRiverNTX0E0R8Callusat867874-2686GREATSAVINGSONALLTIRESTHATHAVEBEENTAKENOFFBRANDNEWTRUCKS-BUTHAVENEVEREVENSEENTHEROADTAKEOFFEHGreatWhiteNorthByMEAGANWOHLBERGUnionlobbyingforchangestoproposedpensionslegislationintheNorthwestTer-ritoriesprovedsuccessfullastweekafteracommitteeagreedtoanumberofamend-mentstothecontroversialNorthernEmployeeBenetsServicesNEBSPensionPlanAct.Thisisaverybigdayforthelabourmove-mentintheNorthwestTerritoriesandforworkersmostimportantlyandpensionersUnionofNorthernWorkersUNWpresidentToddParsonsannouncedinapressconfer-enceFridayafternoonfollowingThursdaynightscommitteemeeting.Wereverythankfultothecommitteeongovernmentoperationsthatactuallylistenedtotheunionsconcerns.TheGovernmentOperationsCommitteeheldapublichearingcarryingoutaclause-by-clausereviewofthebillonFeb.19whichrepresentativesoftheUNWNWTTeach-ersAssociationNWTTAandNWTFed-erationofLabourattendedtoseewhetherornottheirconcernsoverBill12hadbeenaddressedsincelaunchingtheircampaignopposingthebilllastfall.Thoughsupportiveoftheneedtocreateasolidlegislativeframeworkfortheapproxi-mately1000NEBSemployeesintheNWTallthreeunionswereconcernedthatBill12couldresultinclawbacksofbenetsfromretiredemployeeswasunclearastowhichbenetsitprotectedandthatitdidnotpro-videforequalemployee-employerrepresen-tationonthepensionboard.AccordingtoNWTTApresidentGaylaMer-ediththeunionswerehappytoseemostoftheuncertaintyremovedfromthelegisla-tionfollowingfurtherreviewbycommittee.Ithinkifitsblackandwhiterightupfronttheresnogreyareaslatertodiscusswherethingswanttogoshesaid.Iwouldhopegoingforwardthattherewillbepriorconsultation.Ithinkthisisanexampleofconsultationwhenitdidhappenthatwaseffectiveandwedoappreciatethecommit-teeswillingnesstogothroughitandlistentous.Ithinkitdoesshowthatintheeventofpriorconsultation...wecanavoidthissortofsituationinthefuture.Theunionswantedtoseegovernmentpre-serveNEBSasadenedratherthantargetedpensionplan-somethingthatlackedclarityintheoriginalbill.Underatargetedplanben-etscanbereducedinordertocompensateforafundingdecitunderadenedplantheemployerwouldberequiredtopayfortheentiredecit.Atargetplanwouldallowtheprimead-ministratorstoclawbackorreducebenetsiftheydetermineditwasnecessarywhichwoulddirectlyimpactpensionersthataredrawingonaspecicpointintimesaidJamesInfan-tinopensionanddisabilityinsuranceofcerforthePublicServiceAllianceofCanadaofwhichUNWisamember.Inessencethepensionpromiseandtheguaranteeofthosecontinuednumberswouldhavebeenatrisk.Withthecurrentdenedplanthosebenetsarenownotatrisk.Thewordingnowremovestheabilitytoret-roactivelyremoveanyearnedbenetsasawaytoaddressshortagesorinsufciencies.ThatamendmentmakesthebilloneoftheonlyinCanadatoprotectadenedbenetplaninlegislationinatimewhenotherju-risdictionsaremovingtowardstargetben-etplans.ThismaymakeotherjurisdictionsthinktwicebeforetryingthatremarkedPSAC-NorthcommunicationsofficerMichaelAubrey.Whenitcomestoeveningoutemployeerep-resentationontheNEBScommitteeMeredithsaidsheisgladtheamendedbilllaysthingsoutinblackandwhite.Impleasedtoseethatitslaidoutinlegisla-tiontheintenttoensuretheresequalrepresen-tationofworkersaswellastheemployersidesoIthinkitclariesanygreyareasshesaid.Stilltheunionssaidthereisroomformorereviewofthebillgoingforward.WestillneedsomemoretimetoreviewandmayhavesomemoreconcernsthroughtheregulatoryprocessthatwehopewellbeconsultedwithoratleasttalkedtoaboutParsonssaid.UnionssatisedwithchangestoNWTpensionbillNEBSactprotectsdenedbenetspackageinlegislationPhotoMichaelAubreyPOLITICSLABOURUnionofNorthernWorkerspresidentToddParsonsandNWTTeachersAssociationpresidentGaylaMeredithrespondpositivelytoamendmentsmadetoNorthernEmployeeBenetsServicespensionslegislationatapressconferenceonFridayFeb.20.