News Release: City of Yellowknife Workers Ratify Agreement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Yellowknife, NT, March 17, 2023— The new tentative agreement reached on Saturday, March 11, 2023, was ratified on Friday, March 17, 2023, by the majority of PSAC/UNW members working for the City of Yellowknife in attendance at the ratification meetings.
PSAC North and UNW recognize and appreciate all the support, contributions, donations and solidarity from Yellowknife residents, community groups, local businesses, and components and unions across Canada.
The bargaining team worked tirelessly for the best agreement they were able to reach with the City of Yellowknife. Some monetary highlights from the new Collective Agreement:
- A compounded wage increases of 5.83% with full retroactivity
- Additional signing bonus (one-time inflation adjustment) paid to employees employed on the date of ratification, as follows: $1,800 to each permanent full-time, term and casual full-time employee, $850 to each permanent part-time employee and seasonal employee and $300 to each casual part-time employee
“The last few weeks have been long, cold, and hard. I am amazed by the strength of the members and their ability to keep their humour throughout,” says Gayla Thunstrom, UNW President. “I am so proud of the members standing up for what they believe in and for each other.”
“Over the past weeks, city workers showed us what solidarity looks like,” says Lorraine Rousseau PSAC North Regional Executive Vice President. “Throughout the lockout/strike we were surrounded by solidarity from Yellowknife’s residents, local businesses, and unions from coast to coast to coast. It didn’t matter how cold it was outside, city workers braved Yellowknife’s freezing temperatures to send a strong message. All workers deserve fair wages and a gain for one is a gain for all.”