One quick follow-up, thank you, Mr. Chair. That's good to know. They are public service employees with the GNWT through the health authorities. With regard to the training that some of the community wellness workers were talking about, a lot of them expressed their dismay with the School of Community Government because a lot of them were alcohol and drug workers before they became community wellness workers and many of them have spent many years in the alcohol and drug field of work in their communities. They were just wondering when they did decide to take up the program to become certified community wellness workers, a lot of them experienced pay cuts down to the 70 percent level in their first year of courses. Yet, the job for them really, on a day-to-day basis, after the one week of course, they still have 51 weeks of regular work that they are doing today as graduates. A lot of them feel that maybe the government owes them some back pay because a lot of them worked for three years starting at 70, 80 and eventually up to 90 percent and then to 100 when they graduate. A lot of them feel they were getting 70 percent pay for a job which required 100 percent of their time. I am just wondering if there is any consideration from the department to maybe review some of the people who actually completed this program and were involved in the alcohol and drug addiction counselling field in their communities for quite a number of years. Is there any avenue that some of these employees can look at getting some retro, I guess?
Robert Villeneuve on Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
In the Legislative Assembly on February 20th, 2006. See this statement in context.
Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 20th, 2006
Page 1155
See context to find out what was said next.