Yukon Hospital Bargaining FAQ

First of all, thanks for your comments supporting the bargaining team – remember, our strength at the bargaining table relies on your support in the workplace.

The local still needs volunteers to help build a strong union presence in the workplace and support members there.

We’ll provide you with training and the tools to help.

Want to become a Shop Steward? Email YEU's Shop Steward Coordinator:

[email protected]

You can also learn about PSAC committees and other opportunities to get involved with your union at:

[email protected]

In the workplace, there are Union bulletin boards with the names of stewards and local executive members who can provide you with more information

There will always be workplace rumours about bargaining and what is or isn’t happening.

You can check in with one of your colleagues who is a bargaining team member, or you can always drop us a line if you have any questions:

[email protected]

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.

The bargaining process starts six months before the expiry of the Collective Agreement. Members are asked for input; a bargaining meeting is held, and a bargaining team is elected. By law, unless the employer is willing to meet sooner, the earliest legal obligation for bargaining is the serving of notice four months before the expiry of the agreement. This time, we had our first bargaining session prior to the expiry of the agreement; however, beyond an exchange of proposals, there will be no formal response from the employer until our January bargaining session.

Unfortunately, we cannot dictate the availability of the Employer team, and the scheduling of bargaining becomes more complicated given the number of people involved on each bargaining team. Lastly, it appears the Employer has taken a wait-and-see approach, given they probably have to follow the lead of YG in the matter of Health Authority negotiations.

The Union will also need to be looking at bargaining a separate new agreement for the Health Authority and combining YG provisions with hospital provisions. All this will take time, so expect a longer-than-usual round of bargaining.

Normally, monetary proposals are made together near the end of the bargaining process. Because this is a monetary proposal, it will be dealt with at that time. We know it is important for members, and members will receive a copy of all the financial proposals once they have been made.

No, it is the same negotiator as in previous rounds.

This is an issue to be discussed at the bargaining table. Please check in with a bargaining team member to discuss further, or send us an email in the interim. The team will be meeting with LPNs during the course of negotiations to discuss further.

This lack of staffing is an issue that will be discussed at the bargaining table. We expect it will be dealt with alongside monetary discussions, given that the Employer considers this to be monetary.

We have already flagged this issue as an important one, as it not only affects working hours, but pensions and benefits too.

Last round we bargained a new language to address the allocation of overtime Article 21.06 c – as the assignment of work, inside the bargaining unit and outside of the bargaining unit. You should check with your steward to deal with your particular situation.

Again, drop us a line if some of the answers we have provided have prompted additional questions, or any time if you have any questions. The email address is: [email protected]