Vince Ready appointed mediator in negotiations between N.W.T. government, UNW

Vince Ready will be the mediator between the Northwest Territories government and the Union of Northern Workers as the two parties work to settle on a new collective agreement.

That's according to a news release the union issued June 15.

Ready has more than 30 years of experience as a mediator and arbitrator. His name may sound familiar to people in Yellowknife, as he was the mediator assigned to resolve the Giant Mine dispute in 1992.

"The union is optimistic that a negotiated agreement can be reached with the [N.W.T. government]," said Todd Parsons, the union's president, in the news release.

The government and the union have been negotiating a new contract for more than two years.

The union wants to see a three-per-cent salary increase every year for three years. The territorial government has offered no salary increase in the first two years, a one-per-cent increase in the third year of the contract, and a 1.1-per-cent increase in the fourth and final year.

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The N.W.T. government has said in the past that it cannot afford the union's demands.

Back in January 2018, the union and N.W.T. government indicated they would be getting a mediator to step in to help resolve their dispute. They did not want to indicate who the mediator was until they could confirm the mediator and mediation dates.

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Mediation is scheduled for Oct. 25-27.

"We also remain prepared to return to the bargaining table prior to October should the [N.W.T. government] wish to change their current position," said Parsons.