The Nunavut Employees Union has started a petition to ask the Nunavut Government to change its bad weather policy.

On Tuesday morning as a blizzard raged in Iqaluit, the GN announced its offices were open despite the city asking people not to be on the roads.

A man braves the strong winds and snow in Iqaluit Monday. On Tuesday morning, the GN announced its offices were open despite the city asking people not to be on the roads. (CBC)

Doug Workman, president of the NEU, said there were also issues with the GN's response when the blizzard started the day before.

"There was a blizzard condition, and it was the timeliness of it,” he said. “Certainly there was an indication even at lunch hour that [we] really should be thinking the health and safety of the people in the community."

Joe Kunuk, deputy minister of Human Resources, said the GN will talk about its bad weather policy with the City of Iqaluit at next month's Emergency Preparedness Committee meeting.

"The five conditions we review, which has been in place for a number of years, will continue to be reviewed,” he said.

According to the bad weather policy, the decision to close government offices is based on the conditions meeting three of five criteria which address temperature, wind speed, visibility and whether or not snow removal equipment and taxis are still on the road.

Whether government offices officially close affects what type of leave applies to employees who stay home.

The union said the bad weather policy will be a big topic when they renegotiate their collective agreement next year.