The Union Advantage
Membership means
- Improved wages
- Enhanced non-wage benefits
- Additional leave provisions
- Fairer scheduling
- Pay equity
- Negotiated terms and conditions
- Better protection from lay-off
- Equal rights
- More access to pensions
- Access to representation and grievances
- Greater respect
- Increased worker power
- Social justice fund
New Member Information
YEU is YOU
You are now a member of one of the 25+ Locals in the Yukon Employees' Union. A Local is a group of members organized at the workplace level (like Yukon College) to create a well-organized link between members and the larger union structure. YEU is one of 17 components of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
Sign a Union Card
According to the Canadian Industrial Relations Board, all union members must physically sign a Membership Card. This is typically done on one of your first days of work, when your HR provides your on-boarding documents and orientation. If you haven't filled one out, check with your Human Resources department. We have an online form you can submit with a digital signature as an interim measure. Once we receive your digital submission, a hard copy will be mailed to you. You then sign the form and return it to us by mail. The Public Service Alliance of Canada will send you your permanent card in the mail within about 3 months.
Sign a Union Card now!
New Member Orientation:
Your Collective Agreement almost certainly contains language entitling you to a brief orientation to your union, provided by a union representative. In some Locals, these are organized group sessions while in other Locals, these orientations are delivered on-on-one from your Chief Shop Steward or Local Executive member. Reach out to your Local President to learn more.
Collective Agreements
Your collective agreement is the contract negotiated between your union and your employer. It outlines the rights and duties of all parties. It typically covers issues like overtime, sick leave, and much more. Your HR department should supply you with a printed copy of your CA or you can access it on by selecting your Local on our Locals page.
Your Contacts
Your Local President is responsible for coordinating the administration of Local affairs and is the chief spokesperson of the Local in its dealings with management. Your Chief Shop Steward recruits and advises stewards, and aids communication between them. They ensure the proper application of Collective Agreements, acts and regulations. You can find their contact information by selecting your Local on our Locals page.
Your Website
You should be able to find virtually everything you need on this website. Information that is relevant to all members (regardless of their Local) will be in the For Members section. Information specific to your local will be under the Locals section. If there is something that you can't find, get in touch with us using the Contact page.
Stay in Touch
Sign up for our electronic newsletter & important updates. We send out our e-digest about every 2 weeks. Other updates or emails will come rarely, and at times of important union events like contract negotiations or important meetings. You can unsubscribe at any time if you change your mind. You'll receive our hard copy newsletter in the mail. Subscribe to YEU's Electronic Newsletter below.
YEU Education Bursaries 2023
Each year, Yukon Employees' Union proudly awards education bursaries to members and their dependants pursuing post-secondary education. Educational pursuits can be full or part-time, and eligible individuals may apply at any age, and any stage of their education path. Intake begins in May or June each year, with a submission deadline of September 30th. Please check back for live links.
Union Member Discounts
Negotiated Discounts
To provide the best possible service to its members, YEU and the PSAC have negotiated preferential rates and discounts with various service providers. YEU members have access to exclusive savings though this program which translates to added value for you! We are always looking for new partnerships to help our members save money and access great services at home and away. Your membership ID no. is your key to discounts on groceries, gas, home heating fuel, recreation
Download our Member Discounts sheet for 2023.
2024 DISCOUNT for YEU Members at the VERSANTE HOTEL
YEU is thrilled to announce a newly negotiated Members-only Discount at the Hotel Versante in Richmond, BC.
Minutes from Vancouver Airport but far from typical, Versante Hotel dazzles with vibrant colors, iconic furnishings,
and abundant natural light.
The hotel offers
• Complimentary airport transfers by luxury car
• Free high-speed Wi-Fi
• Complimentary in-room Snacks
• Heated rooftop pool & hot tub
• 24-hour fitness room with Peloton bikes
• Dyson Supersonic® hairdryers
• Free Bike Rentals
**CLICK HERE FOR THE HOTEL'S YEU ROOM SHEET and to book your stay.
**Please note this link will be live again shortly; the hotel is providing us with updated information for 2024 which we will make available as soon as possible. If you wish to book before this information is updated here, please contact YEU staff for assistance; we apologize for any inconvenience in the interim).
To book a room:
1. Browse to www.versantehotel.com
2. Click on red BOOK NOW button
3. Type yukon under Corporate Code, click ADD, then click red UPDATE GUESTS & ROOMS button
The calendar will appear, showing reduced room rates by date. Select your dates and book directly.
Union Savings
Union Savings is Canada's only not-for-profit, union-run, members' benefit program. By working with almost 2 million members across Canada and using economies of scale, discounts are negotiated for union members, retirees and their families.
Discounts include everything from fashion and cosmetics websites to mobile phone services, online shopping and travel savings. Visit the website today and get started. To take advantage of the savings, register as a member of PSAC under the "choose your union" dropdown menu and then choose North as your region. You don't even need to input your union membership number!
FREE $10,000 Life Insurance
YEU/PSAC Members in Good Standing are eligible for a FREE $10K life insurance policy.
Made available through Coughlin & Associates thanks to the PSAC Insurance Trust.
You will need to provide your PSAC ID no. to claim this benefit - please contact YEU Membership Services for your PSAC ID number and to request an enrolment card for this FREE policy. We encourage all our members to take advantage of this benefit; with no strings attached, it's a great way to help protect your loved ones.
Call YEU Membership Services at 667-2331, ext. 1000 or email [email protected]
Member Dues
How much do you pay in dues?
Your dues are calculated like this: PSAC dues + Component dues + local dues
Effective September 1 2022, dues are remitted by the employer to the Public Service Alliance of Canada in the amount of 1.6134%* of wages** plus a $1/month contribution per member to the national strike fund (striking members are paid from this fund).
Of the dues received by PSAC:
*PSAC retains 0.9593% plus the $1/month strike fund contribution
YEU receives .6541%
***(Y017 members pay an additional $10/member/month levy)
Any change in dues rates is the result of decisions taken by delegates at the PSAC National Convention, and at each component’s triennial convention. Yukon Employees’ Union delegates have not voted to increase dues since 2017, and the PSAC had a very small increase following the 2022 convention, (.0036%) included in the figures above.
**Dues ARE collected from:
- Regular pay
- Overtime pay
- Retro pay
- Shift premiums
- Regular sick leave pay
**Dues are NOT to be collected from:
- Isolated pay
- Travel allowance
- Severance pay
- Standby pay
- Reporting pay
- Call-back pay
- Yukon Bonus
- Vacation leave payout
- Lieu time payout
- Grievance settlements
- Long term sick leave
- WCB payments
***Changes in local and branch dues may also apply. Such changes would be the result of decisions taken at a Local AGM. For example, in 2022 Local Y017 members voted at their AGM for a full-time, paid Local President at the cost of $10 per member per month on a one-year trial basis. (Any Local may choose to increase their own members’ dues by putting the question to a vote at an AGM or SGM.)
Bargaining
Why should I care about bargaining?
Your collective agreement protects you in your workplace. It outlines the rights and responsibilities of the employee and the employer, including hours of work, overtime, vacation, sick, family-related and other types of leave, grievance procedures, pay, benefits, and much more. It is essentially your rule book for life at work. During the bargaining process, members let us know what needs to be changed or added to the collective agreement. We refer to this as bargaining input, and it is used to help shape the next collective agreement.
How does the bargaining process work?
It is ALWAYS the right time to think about bargaining and to submit ideas and input for the next round of bargaining. About 6 months before your collective agreement expires, your bargaining unit will make a call for bargaining input. This is your opportunity to contribute your ideas. Submit your input on a Bargaining Input form in hard copy, or use the linked online form at any time to submit your ideas.
3 to 4 months later, bargaining input closes. Your bargaining unit elects a bargaining committee. They prioritize and merge the many proposals that members have given them. This committee elects a small negotiating team that (with the help of a PSAC negotiator) prepares a package to be used in negotiations with the employer. If the current collective agreement expires before negotiations are completed, the employer will honour the expired agreement.
What if an issue arises between collective agreements?
If there is an urgent matter that cannot wait until the next round of bargaining, there may be a solution. Revisions can be made to collective agreements during their lifespan. To begin this procedure, you would want to file a grievance. You can find more information about this on our Problems at Work page.
How can you provide input?
Bargaining input kits are typically distributed to Locals before input begins. Online bargaining kits will also be available when the next round of bargaining begins.
Download and print the Bargaining Input Form. Get as many signatures as you can in support of your suggestion, and return the form to your Local President, your Chief Shop Steward or the Yukon Employees’ Union Office.
Problems at Work
Look at your collective agreement
Your collective agreement outlines the rights and responsibilities of you and your employer, including hours of work, overtime, vacation, sick, family-related and other types of leave, grievance procedures, pay, benefits, and much more. There is a very good chance that your question will be answered within this agreement.
When you started work, your Human Resources department should have supplied you with a printed copy of your collective agreement. You can also view it online on from your Local’s page by choosing your local.
Contact your President or Steward
Your Steward can help you understand your rights at work, problem solve many issues and file a grievance. To find your Shop Steward, go to your Local's page by choosing your local.
In the case of small Locals, the President is your union representative. They are also responsible for coordinating the administration of Local affairs. They are the chief spokesperson of the Local in its dealings with management.
How to Refuse Unsafe Work
Under most circumstances, workers in the Yukon have the right to refuse hazardous work. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic you may feel that you are being asked to perform work that’s unsafe. Please remember that to exercise this right you must first report to work. Failure to report to work if directed to do so could lead to loss of pay or disciplinary action.
Under the Yukon Workers' Safety and Compensation Act, a worker has the right to refuse work when they have reason to believe that a condition exists in the workplace that constitutes an undue hazard. READ MORE HERE
Contact YEU
If you have problems finding what you are looking for after you have looked at your collective agreement, if your president/steward is unavailable, or you just don’t know what step to take next, we are available to help you out.
Visit our contact page to get in touch with us.
Get Involved
Attend your Local Meetings
YEU is a strong union with many Locals. Most Locals have monthly meetings and they really need the contribution and input of members like you. We also participate in community events throughout the Territory. The only way we can maintain this is through a vibrant group of volunteers. We hope you will help out with one of our events and donate some time to make your union more effective. If you aren’t sure what you can offer, just stop by to meet people with common interests. Check out our events calendar.
Become a Shop Steward
If you want to become a workplace advocate for your co-workers, you may want to become a shop steward. You will become an asset in your workplace, and you will gain confidence and skills that are transferable into all aspects of your life and work. Notify YEU or your Local President/Chief Steward and let them know that you are interested.
Join a committee
Any member in good standing can sit on a committee. You may be interested in joining one of PSAC’s Regional Equity Committees:
- Women’s Committee
- Health and Safety Committee
- Racially Visible Committee
- Aboriginal Peoples Committee
- Pride (LGBT)
- Access Committee
- Youth Committee
- Alliance Facilitators Network
Contact the PSAC office at 867-668-8593 if you are interested in participating in a regional committee.
Maintain your Membership on Extended Leave
If you are a member of the Yukon Employees' Union who expects to be on maternity, education, or other extended leave, we encourage you to complete the form linked below. Doing so will send a request to the PSAC head office in Ottawa that your union membership be maintained as a member in good standing while on unpaid leave.
This is particularly important if you wish for continued access to the representation services of YEU and PSAC.
Click HERE for the PSAC Member in Good Standing Form.
CONFIDENTIAL Submission Form
You may use this form to anonymously submit confidential information about workplace, troubling working conditions or systemic problems you hope the union can address. Submissions will go only to the email inbox of the YEU President, and your identity will not be shared. You may choose to provide your email address at the end of this form if you would like to be contacted in follow up to your submission, but that is entirely your choice.
CLICK HERE to open the form.