A new round of PSAC-Nunavut Employees Union (NEU) bargaining with the Government of Nunavut (GN) took place in Iqaluit over four days, between January 15 and 18, 2019.  

As is the normal practice, the PSAC-NEU bargaining team tabled its non-monetary proposals and reserved proposals with monetary implications for a later point in bargaining. In the opening statement to the employer, the team highlighted the themes animating the union’s proposals: the vulnerable state of the GN’s part-time workers, food security and declining purchasing power, as well as a thinly stretched full-time workforce. 

While these difficult issues have yet to be tackled, the team is pleased to report that the first bargaining session with the GN was both positive and productive. Both parties began by committing to bargaining in good faith to reach a collective agreement and the exchanges that followed during the week were consistent in tone and spirit with that commitment.  

These are the early days of bargaining, and many difficult issues are yet to be addressed. But the union is hopeful that the positive tenor of this first session continues into the coming sessions. 

The next bargaining session is scheduled for the week of February 18, 2019 in Rankin Inlet.  

Background 

The PSAC-NEU bargaining team began preparing for this round of talks in October 2018, shortly after it was elected by NEU members at the PSAC-NEU Bargaining Conference. In December 2018, a two-day caucus was held in Iqaluit to discuss preliminary proposals based on NEU member input and priorities. The team then worked to finalize the union’s proposals and establish dates for bargaining.  

Bargaining proposals »