Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

I am writing to you today to ask for support for a group of PSAC members that have been locked out by their employer since October 23, 2006.

These twenty two workers, members of UNW Local 6 in Hay River, Northwest Territories, work at “Nats’ejee K’eh”, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre. Their contract has expired three and a half years ago and they have been without a salary increase for over four years. It was with great reluctance that they eventually served notice of strike action, but their employer instead of returning to the bargaining table chose to lock them out and transport the clients who were in treatment at the facility to a non-unionised treatment centre in Alberta.

The employer’s latest offer includes monetary roll-backs, entire control on lay-offs and the right to dismiss anyone at any time without cause, complete unilateral control over hours of work, gutting the union rights and activities and doing away with parental leave.

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