Kitimat, B.C. – The strike at the District of Kitimat has reached an “impasse.”

That from Chief Administrative Officer Ron Poole as the strike drags into its sixth week.

“Both sides recognize that. There has to be a change in course on how things are going in terms of the negotiations to get an agreement.”

He says things are so bad the union kicked the district’s negotiating team out of a bargaining session last weekend.

“I wasn’t at that meeting specifically, but three of my staff were and I don’t think they were treated very politely by the union negotiators, but obviously it was a sign that things are getting to the point of frustration.”

Unifor local 2300 business agent Martin McIIwrath acknowledges they gave the district negotiators the boot, but only because they didn’t come to the meeting “prepared.”

“So at that point things got really heated because we’ve had people (127 union members) out on the street now into their sixth week and they’re (district) not willing to roll-up their sleeves and do the work so we threw them out of the building.”

The strike has closed two arenas and a recreation centre but hasn’t affected services such as garbage collection which McIIwrath says was contracted out “years ago.”

The main sticking points between the sides have revolved around wages and issues in the workplace.

The union held a rally Tuesday night which attracted McIIwrath says attracted roughly 150 people.

No new talks have been scheduled.