• Is the new Health Authority cutting PSAC jobs?
• Will the Yukon Party abolish the Health Authority?
• Will the process be delayed with the potential cancellation of the Health Authority?

Politicians are always making promises during elections, and the Yukon Party was no exception. We were encouraged that the current health care crisis was front and centre this past election and all parties stated they supported “fixing” healthcare. In fact, YEU and PSAC ran a strong campaign in support of public healthcare during the election. How the Yukon Party will support or “fix healthcare” now that they are in government is yet to be determined. In the last legislative term, they fully supported and voted for the legislation that created the Health Authority.

While to some, the new Health Authority may appear as a simple change in the workplace, we know it represents something much more profound for members, Yukon First Nations, and Yukoners. Yukoners need stronger and better public healthcare supports.

Right now, the Union is also in bargaining with the Yukon Government and dealing with the creation of the Health Authority. Unionized workers, regardless of where they work  - whether it's at the hospital or in Health and Social Services, are at different stages in their lives and, depending on their life circumstances, will have different work and family needs. Given how significant this change is, the Union’s proposal to YG was built to reflect that reality and allow for the maximum amount of flexibility for those who may move to the new entity. 

While the YG Union bargaining team made a lengthy and comprehensive proposal last year, they have yet to see a meaningful response from the government regarding the establishment of the Shäw Kwä’ą. 

At the hospital, we are at the very early stages of bargaining. We still don't know the details of the new Health Authority, and we can't say one way or the other whether or not there will be layoffs. We anticipate there may be some job duplications, and we will address that through bargaining. But again, the Hospital hasn't really talked to us yet about their plan for you and the Authority and how that fits in with the YG agenda.  

Once we get to the next stages of bargaining for the hospital (monetary proposals), you can expect that something hospital-specific on the new authority will be proposed by your team, and we will provide members with a copy of that proposal.