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Tuesday May 12 2015 7 POLITICS LABOUR It can be harmful to you and the environment and can cost you a lot of money. Help prevent an unnecessary spill The Homeowners Guide to Oil Tanks is now available. Visit www.enr.gov.nt.ca or call 867-873-7654 for a free copy 128-364A NNSL NJ An Oil Tank Spill Can Be a Nightmare By MEAGAN WOHLBERG Delegates from Fort Smith Fort Simpson and Inuvik refused to cross the picket line to attend the NWT As- sociation of Communities NWTACmeetingslastweek on the Katlodeeche First Nation KFN reserve near Hay River. The annual gathering of municipalleadersfromacross the territory was targeted by striking town workers in Hay River even after the event was moved across the river and onto the reserve. Fort Smith Mayor Brad Brake said he and SAO Keith Morrisonhadbeenhopingfor a resolution to the labour dis- pute in order to attend but ultimately made the decision not to cross the picket line. Thetownissettonegotiateits workerscollectiveagreement within the next few months. Respecting a picket line is not unheard of and there are a number of other commu- nities that are not attending andarerespectingtheunions picket line by not crossing Brake said. The Town of Fort Smith would like to see an amicable resolution to this labour dispute. Brake and Morrison did attend the concurrent Good Governance Conference hosted by the department of Municipal and Community Affairs however which was not picketed. Fort Simpson also chose not to send delegates to the meetings out of respect for the striking workers. The council feels that it would not be appropriate to attend as the Village of Fort Simpson is still in negotiation with the union members in Fort Simpson as well said acting SAO Beth Jumbo. Inuvik was also unable to attend the NWTAC meet- ings partly due to the strike. Though one councillor who wasscheduledtoattendcould not make it due to a personal issue Mayor Floyd Roland and SAO Grant Hood decided to stay home because of the labour dispute. The mayor...discussed the situation with council and it was felt while we support the NWTAC and their objectives it was felt to remain neutral and not to attend Hood said. One of the delegates from Yellowknife who planned to attend the meetings also bowed out due to the strike. I decided not to cross a picket lineprotest city councillor Phil Moon Son an- nounced last week via Face- book.Itwasaveryverytough decisionafterlotsofpersonal reection and evaluation. Yellowknife councillor Bob Brooksattendedthemeetings alone on behalf of the city. Despite some controversy 26 of the associations 33 member communities sent delegates to the annual gen- eral meetings in one of the largest turnouts ever. Repre- sentatives from Tuktoyaktuk were unable to attend due to a funeral in the community and said reports of their ab- sence being linked to the strike were untrue. Hay River was initially supposed to host the meet- ings but NWTAC decided to move the gathering to the reserve in order to remain neutral with respect to the strike. The NWTAC is grateful that KFN is an alternative as it means that the eco- nomic benefit to the area for things like hotels trans- portation catering and pa- tronage of local businesses will not be compromised said NWTAC spokesperson Shannon Crawley. We are doing our very best to respect the disputing parties to hold a success- ful meeting and continue to support all 33 member communities as is our or- ganizational mandate. The event which is an op- portunity for community- appointed representatives to collaborate meet with gov- ernment ofcials and pass resolutions about territo- rial issues was expected to bring as much as 120000 into the community. Around 30 municipal em- ployees have been on strike in Hay River since Feb. 9. The workers are demand- ing a larger wage increase in their expired three-year collective agreement than the town will offer. Several attempts at ne- gotiation have failed and a recent request from the union for binding third- party arbitration was re- jected by Hay Rivers town council. Because most essential services are contracted out recreation has been hit the hardest by the work stoppage. Fort Smith Fort Simpson Inuvik skip picketed meetings PhotocourtesyofPSAC-North Striking municipal employees in Hay River establish a virtual picket line on route to the NWTAC AGM outside of town on the Katlodeeche First Na- tion last week. The strike actions deterred delegates from Fort Simpson Fort Smith Inuvik and one from Yellowknife from attending the meetings.