K
I
T
I
M
A
Sentinel
T
Northern
www.northernsentinel.com
Volume 61 No. 22
Bull-O-Rama is cancelled Cécile Favron The fourth-annual Bull-O-Rama, Kitimat’s bull-riding competition, has been cancelled due to the District of Kitimat workers’ strike. The strike has jeopardized access to the Tamatik arena which was set to hold the event on June 13. The competition was called off early to ensure that preparation for the event wouldn’t further drain the Snowflake Community Fairground Society’s resources if the event didn’t happen. “At this point, we cannot be assured that Tamatik arena will be available for the event and without that assurance we cannot risk the total loss of any more the of society’s cash,” organizer Jack Oviatt said in a press release last Wednesday. The cowboys and bulls come from C+ Rodeo in 150 Mile and there are huge expenses associated with bringing them to Kitimat. Without assurance that the event would go forward, the Society cancelled the event to allow the cowboys to attend other rodeos that weekend. The society had no other option, but to cancel the event because Kitimat does not have the capacity to hold the event outdoors, explained Oviatt. “It is a big disappointment for us,” he said. Those that have bought tickets or sponsors who have sent cheques to the Snowflake Community Fairgrounds Society will be reimbursed. This marks the second year in a row that the Bull-O-Rama has been cancelled in Kitimat. In 2014, the society decided to hold-over the event to 2015 because of a volunteer shortage. This cancellation marks a great loss to the Kitimat community. Continued page 3
Building trades unions donate to workers /page 3 Former KMP employees receive medal /page 5 PM477761
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
$
1.30 INCLUDES TAX
Valedictorian Kitimat’s Linda Horianopolous celebrates having been selected for one of UNBC’s valedictorians. She talks about this honour, her school and Kitimat on page 9. UNBC Photo
Union rejects binding arbitration Cécile Favron There is still no end in sight for the three-month District of Kitimat workers’ strike that has left Kitimat at a standstill. Unifor 2300 has rejected binding arbitration as the third round of mediation between the union and the District failed to reach a deal by the afternoon of May 23. Negotiations had to be wrappedup by that time because the mediator was scheduled to fly out of town. In a subsequent press release on May 25, the District of Kitimat proposed binding arbitration – a process that would see a mediator draw-up a deal after listening to both parties. If binding arbitration was agreed to, employees would have returned to work
while the process occurred. The union refused to comment on the District’s proposal until three days later when they informed the District of their decision to reject the proposal. Their announcement was relayed to the public through the District’s press release on May 28. Unifor 2300 could not be reached for comment on their decision to reject binding arbitration. As for reaching a deal, the latest three-day round of mediation was the last instalment of nine days of mediated discussion between the union and the District that have only aggravated tensions between them. In the last minutes of the May 23 meeting, the union’s Bargaining Committee out-
lined their “Bedrock Position.” They stated that this final Offer to Settle was “the bare minimum that will improve our working lives.” The District was unable to respond to the proposal slated just five minutes before the mediator’s departure. That is when the District decided to propose binding arbitration. “Enough is enough, we are willing to put everything on the table,” said Mayor Phil Germuth of the proposal. The union then rejected the proposal, but maintained in a press release on May 26 that they are getting close to a deal. Both sides claim to have made significant compromises over the mediation process and blame the other party for
the stalemate. Mayor Phil Germuth maintains that the District’s offer is fair and, in a press release on May 25, states that “this dispute is ultimately about who is going to run the District of Kitimat.” The union maintains issues around safety and harassment and the extent of contracted-out work are not being properly addressed by the District’s proposals. They also have concerns about signing an agreement that does not guarantee a minimum number of full-time jobs nor assigns wage increases based on the level of new industry in Kitimat. Meanwhile, the District maintains that their proposed 2.5 per cent wage increase in each of the next three years Continued on page 2