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SouthSlavestrikersunitewithSolidarityExpressTuesdayFebruary2420153POLITICSLABOURAskusaboutGoldSilverandBronzeSponsorshipOpportunitiesRegisterbeforeMarch1saveForregistrationforms872-2795www.thebacha.catradeshowtbds_managernorthwestel.netBYDALICARMICHAELAtroupeofabout25HayRivertownem-ployeespackedtheirprotestsignsPSACagsandwintergearintotheSolidarityExpressbusandhittheroadtojointheirFortSmithbrothersandsistersforanafternoonofwalkingthepicketlinetogetheronFeb.17.UnionofNorthernWorkersmembersem-ployedbytheTownofHayRiverandtheFortSmithHousingAuthoritybothsupportedbythePublicServiceAllianceofCanadaarestrikingforsimilarreasonscaughtinadeadlockwiththeiremployersoverthetermsoftheirthree-yearcollectiveagreements.Wethoughtmaybeafewmoresupport-ersonthelinewoulddrumuporatleastrekindlesomeinterestaroundtownsaidFortSmithstrikecaptainDallasCampbell.Thingsdontseemtobemovingtooquicklythatwecanseeoneitherendunlessthingsarehappeningbehindthescenesthatwereunawareof.StrikersinFortSmithareenteringtheirfourthweekofworkstoppagewhilethoseinHayRiverarestartingtheirthirdweekonstrike.CampbellsaiddependingonhowlongthestrikescontinuehehopesheandhisFortSmithcrewcanreturnthefavourinHayRiver.Wevebeenoutonourpicketlinein-45windchillandwevebeenthinkingabouthowcoldandlonelyitisforusandwereaprettysmallbargainingunitsaidHayRiverstrikecaptainKimTybring.Weheardaboutourbrothersandsistersupheredoingthesamethingasusoutanextraweekandwethoughtitmightbealittlemoraleboosterifwepoppedupandsaidhelloandjustsup-portedthemintheircauseaswell.Tenantsandcommunitymembersalsocameouttosupportthetwogroupsastheysatto-getherinthereccentrediscussingtheissuesoverabowlofcariboustewandbannock.Strikersinbothcommunitiesareght-ingforhigherwagesfromtheiremployers.InFortSmithemployeesarealsoaskingforimprovedseveranceandretirementpackagesandvacationpay.AimingtobeonparwithotherhousingauthoritiesFSHAstaffareaskingfora2.75percentwageincreaseintherstandsecondyearsanda3.25percentincreaseinthethirdyearoftheirnextcollectiveagreement-raisestheysayareonparwithotherhousingauthori-tiesintheNWT.InFortProvidenceafour-yeardealstipulatesthatstaffwageswillincreaseby2.5percentperyear.TheHayRiverHousingAuthorityhasalsolockedintoafour-yearagreementwithannualincreasesof4.543.5and3percent.InYellowknifeasperave-yearcontractstaffareentitledtowageincreasesof2.75percentfortherstyear2.5forthenexttwoand3.25forthenaltwo.CurrentlytheFSHAboardisrefusingtomeettheunionsdemandsofferingjust1.5percentperannumwageincreasesrefus-ingtoincreasevacationpayfrom725perfamilymemberto1000andnotbudgingonrequeststoincreaseseveranceandretire-mentpackagesforemployeeswith20yearsormoreundertheirbelts.Fouroftheeightstaffhavebeenemployedthereforover20yearswhiletheremainingfourhaveworkedtherebetweenfourand15years.MakingupforlosttimeOntopofaskingforhigherwagestheFSHAstaffsaytheyaremakingupforalossinwagesfromtheirpreviousagreement.From2011to2014stafftookahitintheirsalaryincreasestoaccommodatetheauthoritysdecitagreeingtowageincreasesofonly1percentannually.ComparativelytheConsumerPriceIndexinYellowknifeincreasedby3.1percentin20112.2percentin20121.5percentin2013and1.7percentin2014.Wereallyfeltthatwas...probablythebestweweregoingtodowithoutgettingtothisstagethreeyearsagoCampbellreectedonpastnegotiations.Wereallymadeitclearthatweweregoingtobebackatthetablethreeyearsfromnowandweexpectedalit-tlebitmore.PicketlinesaligninFortSmithlastTuesdaywithavisitfromstrikingmunicipalemployeesfromHayRiverwhojoinedfellowstrikerswiththeFortSmithHousingAuthorityinsolidarityforanafternoonthatincludedacommunitylunch.PhotoDaliCarmichaelOnedeadothershomelessafterFortSmithhousefireByDALICARMICHAELOnepersonisdeceasedandothersarewithoutahomefollowingafatalresidentialreinFortSmithearlySundaymorning.Around605a.m.onFeb.23emergencycrewswerecalledouttoaduplexreat1214PikeSt.attheeastendoftownbutbythetimetheyarrivedthedamagehadalreadybeenbeendone.Itappearstherewaswelladvancedfrommyunderstandingwhentherede-partmentgotonscenesaidNWTremar-shalChuckerDewar.Theydidnotconductinternaloperationsgiventhestagethattherewasat.Theyconducteddefensiveactivi-tiessotheywouldhavesprayedwaterfromtheoutsideontotheinside.TherewasreportedbyoneoftheduplexresidentswhoevacuatedthebuildingshortlyaftercallinglocalRCMP.Theyreportedlytriedtoalerttheirneighboursoftherebutdidnotreceiveanyresponse.FireghtersbattledtheamesintoSun-dayeveningaccordingtoFortSmithrechiefWestlySteed.Oncetherewasextinguishedthecrewslocatedtheremainsofoneindividualintheresidence.AsofMondaymorningthebodyhadnotbeenretrievedoridentiedduetosafetyconcernsaccordingtoaspokespersonatthechiefcoronersofce.FortSmithRCMPtheremarshalandtheofceofthechiefcoronerarecontinuingin-vestigationsintotheevent.AsofpublicationdatetherewasnotenoughevidencetoconcludehowtherewasignitedSteedsaidorwhethertheeventcouldbedeemedsuspicious.Policesaythepropertydamageisexten-sive.Onesideofthebuildingiscompletelyburnedoutwithacaved-inroofwhiletheotherwasseverelyaffectedbysmokedam-ageleavingituninhabitable.PhotoDaliCarmichaelIttookFortSmithreghtersawholedaytoputouttheamesatthisduplexresidence.INVESTIGATIONFATALFIRE