The Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Nunavut Employees Union (PSAC-NEU) is calling out what they feel are racist attitudes within the Iqaluit Housing Authority (IHA) that have become apparent during a more than 70-day strike. IHA has been hiring replacement workers to fill union jobs during the strike, many of these workers are hired from southern Canada and are being paid more than PSAC-NEU members.
“It’s blatantly racist and anti-worker for the Iqaluit Housing Authority to leave our members – mostly Inuit workers from Iqaluit – out in the cold while they pay scabs from the south higher wages to do their jobs,” said NEU President Jason Rochon in a statement.
Rochon saying that PSAC-NEU members were “left out in the cold” can be taken literally. The 13 IHA workers began their strike in March, picketing outside their workplace in the frigid weather.
PSAC-NEU said that IHA workers are calling for wage increases that keep pace with the high cost of living in Nunavut.
It is no mystery to workers that prices have been skyrocketing and wages have failed to keep up. In Nunavut, the financial pressure is particularly acute. Food prices in Nunavut have long been unaffordable. According to “Food Insecurity in Northern Canada: An Overview” by the Library of Parliament, 79 per cent of children in Nunavut are living in food insecure households.
PSAC-NEU said that IHA has recently put forward an offer that provides a 7.25 per cent wage increase over five years, with a lump sum payment of 3.5 per cent on ratification. The union said this offer is only a 0.95 per cent increase in wages over previous offers.
While IHA union workers are receiving low wage offers at the bargaining table, the IHA is spending thousands on scab labour. PSAC-NEU said that beyond higher wages, these replacement workers are also receiving housing and food allowances that were not available to striking PSAC-NEU members.
As the labour dispute presses on, PSAC-NEU is calling on the federal government to intervene. Specifically, they have reached out to Minister of Labour Seamus O’Reagan but have not received a response.
“Minister O’Regan has promised to introduce anti-scab legislation to the Canada Labour Code and has repeatedly emphasized the importance of free and fair collective bargaining,” said PSAC National President Chris Aylward in a statement. “It’s time that this government shows Canadian workers they’re true to their word – by introducing anti-scab legislation now and intervening in the Iqaluit strike to support fair negotiations.”
Federal consultations for anti-scab legislation wrapped in February and workers have gone almost four months without any legislation coming to fruition.
More than 200 delegates from PSAC-North’s convention rallied in support of the IHA workers whose bargaining is being hurt by the use of scab labour. The struggle in Iqaluit demonstrates the urgent need for anti-scab legislation.
“As the former Minister of Indigenous Services, Minister O’Regan must know the importance of good jobs to the people of Nunavut. He should know the importance of leveling the playing field in collective bargaining by banning the use of scab labour. “ said Aylward “His intervention could stop this strike. And fast-tracking anti-scab legislation could make sure that a situation like this never happens again.“
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