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Nelson, B.C.s locked-out city workers (CUPE Local 339) have made a settlement offer to the city to end a two-month lockout.

The new offer, called Six steps to solving the labour dispute, was written by two members of the community and published in the Nelson Daily News.

Weve been seeking a community solution to this dispute and we believe this is it, Local 339 president Bev LaPointe said. It does not satisfy us in all regards, but it does protect core city services for the next two years while the community has a chance to have input on the future of Nelsons public services.

The six steps propose that the parties put aside their differences on the contentious minimum staffing language and end the lockout. A two-year contract includes a commitment from the city to have an independent assessment done on efficiencies and seek public input on how they may be achieved through the office community plan process and public referendum.

Two weeks ago, 99 per cent of the workers voted to reject the citys proposal to go to binding arbitration on the outstanding issue of contracting out of city services. Local 339 represents the citys 74 city workers.