Below is my visit schedule for the month of January.  Please stop by when I’m at your workplace with any questions or concerns you may have.  

JANUARY 2023 SCHEDULE

January 3
9:00 – 10:00   Willow House
13:00 – 14:00   Referred Clinic

January 4
9:00 – 10:00   Engagement, Leader, Population and Public Health Environmental Evaluation
12:45 – 13:45   Welcome to Your Union Presentation to Community and Care New Hires
15:00 – 17:00  Yukon Employees Union Education Committee Meeting

January 5
9:00 – 10:30   Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services
13:00 – 14:00   Forensic and Complex Care

January 6
10:00 – 12:00   Thompson Centre
13:00 – 14:00   Copper Ridge Place

January 9
9:00 – 10:00   Integrated Health
13:00 – 14:30   Home Care

January 10
9:00 – 10:30   Family and Children’s Services
10:45 – 11:45   Finance and Administration H-3A
13:00 – 14:00   POP / EPI

January 11
9:00 – 10:00   Hanson House

January 12
9:00 – 11:00   Whistle Bend Place
13:00 – 14:00   H-1

January 13
9:00 – 11:00   Income Support
13:00 – 14:00   Young Offenders Facility

January 15 to Saturday, January 21
Calgary to attend Public Service Alliance of Canada training

January 19
18:15   Local Y017 Executive Board Meeting by ZOOM

January 23
9:00 -11:00   Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services
13:00 – 14:30   Family and Children’s Services

January 24
9:00 – 10:30   Home Care
13:00 – 15:00   Income Support (13:00 – 14:00 Welcome to Your Union Presentation)

January 25
9:00 – 10:00   Nts’aw Chau House
13:00 – 14:00   Child, Youth and Family Treatment Team
14:15 – 15:15   Employment and Training

January 26
9:00 – 10:00   Fireweed House
10:30 – 11:30   Klondike House

January 27
9:00 – 10:00   St Elias Residence

January 30
9:00 -11:00   Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services (9:00 – 10:00 Welcome to Your Union Presentation)
13:00 – 15:00   Family and Children’s Services (13:00 – 14:00 Welcome to Your Union Presentation)

January 31
9:00 – 10:00   Divisional Support Services (204 – 305 Main Street)

In solidarity,

Darcy Kasper
Local Y017 President
[email protected]
(867) 335-8744

Open Letter to Mr. Michael Hale and Mr. Van Randen:

My name is Darcy Kasper, and I am Yukon Employee’s Union, Local Y017 President. I am writing to both of you regarding the recent bonuses given to nurses and concerns with the lack of insight to including other professional areas within Health and Social Services. Members from all sectors of Health and Social Services have been in contact with me since the announcement of the bonuses. Members have expressed feeling under valued and that the recent email sent out to staff from your office was a slap in the face.

I would hope you are both aware of the staffing shortages in almost all areas of Yukon Government. With these shortages, staff have been expected to take on extra workloads to ensure mandates are being met. Seldom are the staff recognized for their efforts by management which has shown a growth in positions during this time.
In looking at specifics, Nursing Home Attendants, therapists, dietary, domestic aides have been front line of services in long-term care. Without these vital roles, long-term care would not be able to operate. These positions have more regular contact with residents. All these positions have worked understaffed for an extended period. While these healthcare workers realize the important role of nurses, the feelings shared with me have been that they are not valued and taken for granted. There are fears by some members that they will face retribution from management if they speak out on how they feel, a tactic used in several areas within Health and Social Services if staff speak up.

I’ve received emails and calls from Social Workers wondering why they are not seen as important as nurses. Family and Children’s Services has been operating well below staffing levels for several years in Whitehorse. With only three communities having Social Workers and the rest receiving drop-in services, I would think recruiting and retaining workers would be an important priority just as nursing appears to be. Social Workers reaching out to me have expressed a feeling of not being valued or appreciated for their services.

I wanted to reach out to support our Local Members and let you know that the bonuses only offered to nurses was taken personally by other professionals working beside the nurses or in other areas of Health and Social Service. Working through the pandemic, shortage of staff and the increased demands on individuals due to inflation continues to take it toll on members. Members are feeling under valued and taken for granted by Yukon Government as an employer. When they see the increase in management positions within workplaces and they are told do more with less, the feeling of being under valued is further embedded.

I would strongly encourage that bonuses or a show of appreciation for all workers needs to be initiated by The Department of Health and Social Services. The feeling of being more valued or less valued within a workplace can lead to resentment among a team. If this occurs, I hope that Health and Social Services will take ownership for what they have created by giving bonuses to one group while ignoring everyone else. Shortage of staff is not good enough reasoning; we all know that all areas within Health and Social Services are understaffed.

Thank you for your attention to concerns from employees within Health and Social Services. This could have all been avoided if dealt at Bargaining, where it belongs and we have been in for the past year.

Darcy Kasper
Local Y017 President

I thought I'd provide a quick update on what I’ve been doing since my last member update as full-time Local Y017 President.  I've been working to reduce the number of Rands (Members with unsigned Union Cards) in Local Y017 and I'm happy to report that we are presently down to fewer than two hundred unsigned members.  This is the lowest ever, that I am aware of.  If any member is not sure they have a signed Union Card or not, please reach out to me or Yukon Employee’s Union to verify. The more of our members sign cards, the stronger our voice at Convention, and the larger our dues remittance from PSAC.

Over the past month I was able to visit members of Local Y017 in the communities of Carcross, Teslin, Faro, Ross River, Pelly Crossing, Carmacks, Beaver Creek, Destruction Bay, and Haines Junction although a couple of the workplaces were closed, or no one was there when I attended.  Thanks to the dedicated workers from Highways (Local Y010), the roads were great to travel on the week of October 24.

I’ve also talked with several members interested in becoming Shop Stewards; the Local really needs more Shop Stewards! We currently have 9 Shop Stewards but in a Local that's 1300 – 1400 members strong, 30-50 Y017 Shop Stewards would be ideal. If any member is interested, please contact Lynne Pajot, Yukon Employee’s Union Education Officer or get in touch with me.  Our Local offers mentoring for new stewards and Leslie James, Yukon Employee’s Union Shop Steward Advisor is a fantastic support.

I continue to have Joint Labour Management Meetings with Directors to address concerns in workplaces.  I’m also working with several members as a Shop Steward and facilitating the orientation “Welcome to Your Union” to newly hired members. I am working toward scheduling these visits and training tof occur on a regular monthly or bi-monthly basis.

Below is my visit schedule for the month of November.  Please stop by when I’m at your workplace with any questions or concerns you may have.  For members in Old Crow I’m hoping to have a ZOOM Meeting for us in the near future.

November 2
12:45 – 13:45   Orientation “Welcome to Your Union” Continuing Care New Hires

November 8
9:00 – 10:30  Young Offenders Facility
1:00 – 3:00   Family and Children’s Services

November 9
9:00 – 10:30  Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services
1:00 – 2:00   Forensic Complex Care Team

November 10
9:00 – 11:00  Whistle Bend Place
1:00 – 2:00   Insured Health
2:00 – 3:00   1 Health

November 15
9:00 – 10:00  POP/EPI
10:30 – 11:30   Referred Clinic
1:00 – 3:00   Home Care  (2^nd floor boardroom)

November 16
9:00 – 10:00  St. Elias Residence
10:30 – 11:30  Hanson House
1:00 – 2:00   Children’s Dental Program

November 17
9:00 – 10:00  Nts’ aw Chau House
6:15 – 8:00   Local Y017 Executive Board Meeting

November 18
9:00 – 11:00  Copper Ridge Place
1:00 – 3:00   Thompson Centre

November 21
9:00 – 10:00  Employment and Training
10:00 – 12:00   Child, Youth and Family Treatment Team
1:00 – 2:30   COVID Assessment and Testing Centre

November 22
9:00 – 10:30  H-1
10:45 – 11:45   Yukon Communicable Disease
1:00 – 2:00  Engagement Leaders, Population and Public Health Environmental Evaluation

November 23
9:00 – 10:00  Fireweed House
10:30 – 11:30   Willow House
1:00 – 3:00   Social Services (Income Support)

November 24
9:00 – 11:00  Family and Children’s Services
11:00 – 12:00   Finance (H-3A)
1:00 – 3:00   Whistle Bend Place

November 25
9:00 – 10:00  Environmental Health Services

November 28
10:00 – 11:00   Mental Wellness and Substance Use Service Communities

November 29
9:00 – 10:00  Speech and Hearing
10:30 – 11:30   Health and Social Services IT

November 30
9:00 – 11:00  Home Care  (main floor)

In solidarity,

Darcy Kasper
Local Y017 President
[email protected]
(867) 335-8744

Start Time: 6:00pm

Location: YEU Hall

Elections will be held for the following Local Y017 Executive positions:

President and 1st Vice President

Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Shop Steward, and 3 directors. 

Some of these positions are short term, and will be re-elected at the 2021 AGM, so it's a perfect time to get involved on a short term 8 month position or on a longer term position.

We will have $400 in gift certificates as door prizes supporting the following local business

* Air North

* Burnt Toast

* Baked

* Burnt Toast

* Chocolate Claim

* Blackbird Bakery

* Java Connection

***We will not be serving food, as usual due to Covid-19 restrictions.  Hot and Cold beverages will be provided.

***Covid-19 precautions will be in place with masks and hand sanitizer available for your use.  Seating will be set up to maintain social distancing during the meeting.

We look forward to seeing you and if you have any questions, contact your local President and Vice President via [email protected]

Purpose:

Local Y017 is challenging members of the local to create a new Local Y017 logo that will be used for the website, printed material as well as other related Local Y017 items.

Guidelines:

* The Logo must include the words "Local Y017"

* The Logo must be the original art of the submitter

* The Logo should only use the following colours Black, Red, and White

* The Logo should be related through graphics to represent Local Y017 - Human Health Services

* The Logo may be created using pencils, crayons, markers, and/or paint. Or created on a computer.

* The Logo should be simple, legible, and easy to reproduce.

* The Logo must be created and submitted by Local Y017 Member in good standing.

Submission Format:

Designs must be submitted in any of the following formats: jpg, tiff, or pdf (if a hard-copy design sketch is submitted, it must be scanned or otherwise rendered into one of the above computer formats and submitted).  Images can be larger than, but must be no smaller than, six inches by six inches (6"x6").

Prizes:

Winning Design $150

1st Runner Up $100

2nd Runner Up $50

Deadline:

March 24, 2020

Submit Designs to: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The winning design will be copyrighted and will be solely owned by Local Y017; the creator of the design will disclaim any trademarks and without any limitations all rights related to the design.  The designer will sign in acknowledgement that he/she is the person that created the logo and is the rightful owner.  The designer also certifies that the logo does not infringe upon the rights of any third party and does not violate any copyright.  The designs of logos that are not chosen as the Winning Design, will retain full ownership of their design and Y017 and YEU will never use their artwork for reproduction of any kind.

In January 2020 we will be posting more information about a logo contest to replace the outdated Local Y017 Logo.  It will be open to all Y017 Members and there will be prizes for the top two designs.

Start thinking about it now...

What does Local Y017 Health and Human Services mean to you and the community.  It is a Yukon Government Local representing over 1200 members across the Yukon in the Health and Human Services profession.

Stay Tuned!

Want more information, send email inquiries to: [email protected]

Annual General Meeting

March 28, 2019

Your Local Y017 Annual General Meeting is coming up for 2019.

With your attendance, your name will be entered into a draw for one of three $100 Air North Gift Certificates.

We will have a social hour for the first portion of our AGM beginning at 5:30pm, with food and non-alcoholic beverages, for introductions and questions.

Business will begin at 6:00 pm with a presentation of annual reports and finish with elections of executives at 7:30 pm.

We have several vacant Executive Board of Director Positions to be filled and we will be offering a bi-annual Honoria for participation as a Director on the Board. The time commitment for any of these positions includes attending a 1 to 2 hour monthly meeting for Local Y017. Any other commitments would be voluntary basis for special events.

Available Positions:

2nd Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Chief Shop Steward
Four (4) Directors 

If you would like more information about any of the available Local Y017 Executive Director positions or further information about the Annual General Meeting, please email Local Y017 at [email protected]