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Tuesday May 5 2015 3 POLITICS LABOUR GNWT Employment Open House Join Us across the NWT Thursday May 14 2015 10 AM 4 PM Recruiters will be on location to review your resume and offer tips to strengthen your application for employment. Find out how to apply for GNWT jobs. Get information on the GNWT competition process. Learn about GNWT employment programs such as internships and summer student opportunities. There will also be departmental representatives on hand to discuss various GNWT careers programs services and initiatives. Come see us at the following locations Yellowknife - YK Centre Lower Level across from Gourmet Cup Fort Simpson - Deh Cho Human Resource Service Centre 9602-100 Street Fort Smith - Fort Smith Human Resource Service Centre 83 Breynat Street Hay River - Hay River Human Resource Service Centre 209 62 Woodland Drive Inuvik - Inuvik Community Corporation 102 MacKenzie Road Norman Wells - Sahtu Human Resource Service Centre 1B Raven Road Behchok - Tlicho Human Resource Service Centre Nishi Khon Building Visit gnwtjobs.caopenhouse for more information. GNWTJOBS.ca Town of Hay River rejects unions call for binding arbitration By MEAGAN WOHLBERG Hay Rivers town council declined a union request for binding third-party arbitrationlast week that would have put an end to the mu- nicipal strike thats been ongoing for 11 weeks. The Union of Northern Workers UNW representing the approximately 30 staff who wentonstrikeFeb.9putacalloutforaneutral third partytocome upwithapermanentsolu- tion that would end the bitter labour dispute. Last Tuesday morning following a coun- cil meeting the night previous town ofcials rejected the request. Hay River Town Council has discussed the advantages and disadvantages of this process andhasdeterminedinourperspectiveitisnot thebestapproachtoresolvethisongoinglabour dispute the employer issued in a statement. We have shown a willingness to continue bargaining we feel optimistic an agreement can be achieved and that engaging an out- side party to determine the outcome of these negotiations is not the appropriate solution. Our hope is for this dispute to be resolved at the community level. The union expressed disappointment with the result accusing the town of prolonging community divisions and hardship. This is a continuation of the arrogant harsh stance the town has taken through- out negotiations said UNW president Todd Parsons. Theres no rational explanation for the towns refusal to bring a fair end to this strike. Obviously the town leaders prefer confrontation to co-operation. The town must bear full responsibility for the continuing loss of services loss of eco- nomic opportunities and ill feelings split- ting the community added Jack Bourassa regional vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada in the North. The union suggested moving to third-party arbitration last week after a third round of talks collapsed without resolution. According to Mayor Andrew Cassidy the union gave an ultimatum that the town was forced to reject while union representatives say they were simply asked for their bottom line and presented it. Cassidy said the town remains willing to continue with the negotiations and is ready to return to the table to receive a counter offer from the union. The union said it is ready to picket a num- ber of major events taking place in the com- munity over the coming months includ- ing the NWT Association of Communities AGM scheduled to take place in Hay River next week. The NWTAC voted to relocate the meeting to the neighbouring Katlodeeche First Na- tion in time for the AGM from May 7 to 10. The decision was made in response to the ongoing strike by unionized employees of the Town of Hay River and the commitment of the NWTAC to maintain neutrality and to respect the negotiation process according to a statement from the association. This decision will ensure that the busi- ness owners in Hay River retain the economic benet of the event and that no additional changes are required for the travel and lodg- ing of those from outside the area. But Bourassa said the striking workers will picket the event regardless of whether or not it is located in town or on the reserve. The union has received support from several municipalities across the territory indicat- ing their unwillingness to cross a picket line. It doesnt matter the picket line will fol- low he said. We will exercise every right that we have available to us to try to get their at- tention. If that means escalating to the point where there might be some costs involved to this town then so be it. Summer daycare services recreation and other events will be picketed as long as the strike lasts the union has added.PhotoScottClouthier Kim Tybring pickets on the rst day of strike Feb. 9. The dispute has now gone on 11 weeks. Continued from page 1. Aside from abandoning the trilateral ap- proach DFN is considering using the nego- tiations as a chance to work out other issues with the GNWT leaving land quantum off the table. The GNWTs offer continues to be based on the regional breakdown within the original Dene-Mtis claim discussed in the 1980s in which the Dehcho is allotted a 24.5 per cent stake of the land quantum based on popula- tion. Adjustments were made to reect the departure of the Katlodeeche and Acho Dene Koe First Nations from the process. According to the GNWT the offer is big- ger than the Dehchos expected share of the Dene-Mtis claim. No response on devolution revenue request Aside from the impasse on land quantum Norwegian said he has yet to receive a re- sponsefromtheGNWTonDFNsrequesttobe included among the Aboriginal governments receiving resource revenues from devolution. DFN negotiators said last month that they might consider legal action if the GNWT re- fuses to share the 25 per cent of devolution moneys allocated for Aboriginal governments currently limited to those who signed on to the devolution agreement. First Nations were given until Apr. 1 2015 - one year past devolution effective date - to sign on to the agreement. ButDFNandotherFirstNationssuchasthe LutselKeDeneintheAkaitchohavedecriedthe policy as a form of blackmail meant to pres- sure Aboriginal governments to sign the deal. Both the Dehcho and Akaitcho First Nations have expressed concern over the impact of de- volution on their unsettled land claims. TheestimatedshareforDFNintherstround ofresourcerevenuesfrompubliclandsisaround 1millionandhalfthatfortheAkaitcho.That money will not be distributed to either group until they sign the agreement. Dehcho still demanding resource revenues from devolution Drummers perform at the 2013 Dehcho First Nations Assembly in Fort Simpson NWT. POLITICS FIRST NATIONS PhotoLawrenceNayally