By Eric Bowling | NWT News/North
Some of the firefighters who have been battling the wildfire just outside of Fort Providence have been doing so without a contract for two years and their case won’t likely be heard by arbitrators until next year.
Public Service Alliance Canada and the Union of Northern Workers released a statement on Sept. 11 calling for Evergreen Forestry to come back to the negotiating table or finalize arbitration arrangements.
“These firefighters aren’t just doing a job, they are heroes protecting their home communities from these wildfires,” said UNW president Gayla Thunstrom. “The employer needs to step up and recognize these workers’ value and essential role.”
Workers for Evergreen Forestry, according to the UNW, have been working alongside GNWT firefighters but are getting paid considerably less for the same efforts. Their collective agreement expired in December 2023. The union sent notice to bargain at the start of 2024. Negotiations have stalled since then and Evergreen Forestry agreed to send the matter to arbitration in August 2025. Arbitration won’t take place until sometime in 2026, which will make it three years since the contract expired.
Evergreen Forestry is arguing its firefighters don’t qualify as essential workers, claims the UNW.
“Our members are fighting to keep communities from burning to the ground, under the same dangerous conditions as GNWT wildland firefighters,” said PSAC North regional executive vice-president Josee-Anne Spirito. “The employer’s three-year wage freeze is not only disrespectful, it’s dangerous.”
Evergreen Forestry is jointly operated by the Deh Gah Gotie First Nation and K’atl’odeeche First Nation under contract with the Government of the Northwest Territories. It’s manager, Robert Lafleur, sent the following statement to NNSL Media.
“The union and Evergreen were in collective bargaining and were not able to come to an agreement,” Lafleur wrote. “We have now both agreed to resolve the dispute by arbitration.
“This means that we will continue operating as usual, and the issues that we do not agree upon will be decided by a neutral third party. We respect the work of the arbitrator and the arbitration process, and will therefore not be making any further public comments on the process or the issues in dispute.”
