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Courts prevent picketers from blocking access to public facilities

Unionized workers with the City of Yellowknife are still on picket lines after bargaining teams failed to reach a deal on a new collective agreement on Monday, but a court injunction is restricting their strike action.
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Unionized city workers who are on strike are now prevented from obstructing access to public facilities due to a court order. NNSL file photo

Unionized workers with the City of Yellowknife are still on picket lines after bargaining teams failed to reach a deal on a new collective agreement on Monday, but a court injunction is restricting their strike action.

Northwest Territories Supreme Court Justice Andrew Mahar granted an order today preventing union members from obstructing access to sites where the city operates for 10 days.

That includes the public pool, curling club, solid waste facility, Multiplex, Field House and city hall.

The order prevents more than six people from picketing at those locations and says any delay to entering those sites should only be to convey information and cannot last more than 10 minutes.

The city had filed an application for an injunction claiming wait times for vehicles delayed by picketing workers were increasing and, if not addressed, could cause irreparable harm.

Unionized workers have been locked out by the city and on strike since Feb. 8.

-By The Canadian Press