N.W.T. government and union reach bargaining impasse

The government of the Northwest Territories and the Union of Northern Workers have reached an impasse in their bargaining over a new collective agreement.

Back in December, the territorial government and the union started negotiating through mediator Jacquie de Aguayo to reach a new agreement for more than 6,000 N.W.T. public sector workers.

"At the conclusion of the most recent mediation session on April 20, 2024, mediator de Aguayo noted that the parties are too far apart on key issues to reach an agreement at this time," the government said in a news release Monday evening.

The mediator has asked both parties to submit their "best and last proposal" by May 3, and is expected to issue non-binding recommendations at that point.

In an update on negotiations posted to their website in March, the union accused the government of opening the possibility of contracting out all health-care positions.

The letter said that if the government dropped the demand, the parties could move forward on the agreement.