January 26, 2024

Please read the following message from Leah Santo, the departing President of Local Y025, Yukon Hospital Workers.

Dear Y025 members,

It is with great sadness that I am resigning as the local President and Shop Steward of Loca Y025, effective today – January 26, 2024.

I have spent the last several years being a very vocal advocate for our rights as unionized workers. I wish I could share everything that I have fought for on behalf of our several hundred members, and the amount of unseen work, sweat and tears I’ve given of my professional and personal life to our local. I have defended as fiercely as I could and have felt truly honoured being your elected, unified voice.

This current round of bargaining has been the most emotionally significant I’ve seen in my many years with YHC.  YG announced bonuses for one singular profession. This unequal action created a divide among colleagues and incited a fury I haven’t seen in a workplace before.  It was disrespectful, devaluing, wildly unfair, and cruel of our government to only recognize one profession after a global pandemic where every single healthcare professional gave everything they possibly had.

The rage that members are feeling is absolutely justifiable and fully warranted. It is also misdirected at us, the Local volunteers, instead of at the government or the employer.

What is not justified is the treatment I and the executive have received from members. There has been hurtful, misdirected blame, grossly misinformed accusations, and hostility in messages from so many. We’ve expressed many times that the bargaining team asked for what members told us to ask for and weren’t able to change the locked-in process. Sadly, the misdirected hostility continues and unfortunately, I can not continue to volunteer in the face of such animosity.

When members have reached out to me, I have always been there fighting beside or for you. After all that I have given, I’m heartbroken to be the subject of character attacks instead of being spoken to as a peer trying to help build a strong, unified, angry-together stand & voice aimed at where it belongs.

I am dedicated to fully fight and complete this round of bargaining, but I am no longer available to represent the membership at the local level.

With deep sadness,

Leah

Yukon Employees’ Union recognizes and thanks Leah and the Local for their selfless work.

In addition to Leah’s resignation as President, the following people are also tendering their resignation:

Darlene Potter – Vice President

Colleen Potter – Chief Shop Steward

Colleen Richardson – Secretary

YEU will work with the remaining Local Y025 Executive members to set a date for elections and will send a follow-up email once those details are confirmed. The date and procedures for elections will also be emailed to members and posted on YHC Union boards.

Happy New Year 

More of the same - It’s a mess 

The New Year has rung in even more financial chaos for some of our members. 

The controversial bonus payments provided to LPNs and RNs at WGH and in the communities have served to further damage rather than build staff morale.  

Remember, this was a management proposal to Yukon Government requesting bonus money earmarked for all YHC LPNs and RNs in the Yukon. The Government bonus scheme was announced in the legislature two years ago and paid out in 2023 only to government LPN’s and RNs. The hospital then followed up with YG and presented it last November to both PSAC and PIPSC. To ensure financial parity between YG and the hospital nurses, both unions agreed to the bonus schedule.  

The bonus payments at the hospital have been mishandled so badly that some of our members will experience financial hardship as the employer attempts to correct the many, many payroll mistakes they have made. Some eligible members received partial bonus payments, some received none, and some were paid significantly more than they were entitled to receive. It’s going to take time and effort for this to be sorted out, and members are left holding the bag, despite any apologies the hospital may make.  

Another audit is underway, and the information management has provided to our members and the Union is spotty and incomplete.  

When the Union first asked the hospital to explain how the bonus pay was calculated, the employer refused to provide that information, though they have since backed off that initial refusal. We’re now told it will be some time before the specifics are provided, and we’re not sure how long it will take to get to the bottom of this mess; the employer’s responses to date have not inspired much confidence.  

What’s even more puzzling for us is that the Employer again appears to blame the Union team for their mismanagement.  

The Union is exploring its options under the labour code and is considering filing an unfair labour complaint. Contract talks broke down and the Union team applied for conciliation last year over monetary issues. All monetary items remain outstanding for other hospital employees.  

ROUND TABLE MEETINGS PLANNED

In response to member concerns and questions, the union is setting up a series of round table group meetings to discuss the next steps for bargaining through conciliation. We are looking for your input; what is your bottom line on wages and bonuses as we head to conciliation? 

The meetings will be held on January 17, 18, and 19 at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre. As arrangements have not yet been finalized, please mark your calendar for the day that works best for you – registration will open early next week. More information will follow soon from the PSAC Regional Office.  

In Solidarity 

Your bargaining team. 

Your bargaining team applied for Conciliation on November 28.

We have been at the table for over eight months, and have worked without a contract since September 2022. The team will be seeking third party assistance to try to reach an agreement on outstanding monetary matters that address the needs of all members.

What is Conciliation?

If the union and the employer can’t reach a tentative agreement, they can declare an impasse. This means they’ve gone as far as they can with no resolution in sight. At this step, the union or the employer can apply for third party conciliator assistance.

Based on our application, the appointment of a neutral third-party conciliator will be made within 14 days of November 28, and no later than December 12. Once appointed, the Conciliator will have up to 60 days to convene a meeting.  

Meeting dates will depend on the schedules of all parties involved, and generally occur quickly from the date of the appointment. In any event, such meetings will not occur any later than February 11, 2024.

Organizing to Win

When bargaining breaks down, an active membership can play a critical role in ensuring bargaining success by supporting the bargaining team and by, among other things, insisting that the employer reach a fair settlement.

This means sending a clear message to the employer through a strong and updated bargaining mandate that the bargaining team can carry back to the hospital.

Expect more details to come your way in the near future regarding next steps as well as in person membership meetings.

In solidarity,

Your Bargaining team.
Local Y025

Hospital Members Ratify a New Deal

Yukon Hospital Corp. workers had the opportunity to vote on the tentative agreement recently achieved between the Union and the employer. The ratification by the roughly 250 members of YEU/PSAC Local Y025 vote took place Monday, March 4^th, only weeks after they returned an overwhelming mandate in favour of strike action if needed.

Unsafe workload caused by chronic understaffing was identified by workers as the most important bargaining issue, and the one they were willing to strike to resolve. The new contract states “the Employer will ensure an employee’s workload is not unsafe”. New language also allows for greater recourse by the membership should unsafe scheduling continue to plague the Hospital Corporation’s facilities in Whitehorse, Dawson, and Watson Lake.  

This is a two year contract covering the period between September 1 2017, and August 31 2019. Economic increases of 2% in year one and 1.5% in year two will be retroactive to the contract’s effective date.

YEU Vice President Paul Johnston stated “it’s been a long and challenging process, but important safety provisions have been added to the contract. We hope to see improvement in member safety in this contract, and will continue working to improve conditions for members of this Local.”

Click here to read full Media Release

Thanks to hard work of your bargaining team, and the strong strike mandate you provided, the union and the employer have arrived at a tentative contract after final negotiations February 14th and 15th. 

Contract ratification meetings will be held March 4th. At that time, you will have the opportunity to hear about proposed changes to your contract, and to ask questions before casting your ballot. Ratification meeting details will be provided soon, so please make sure you check your email for that information. 

Your bargaining team has worked extremely hard to achieve this contract, and the support you provided made their work easier.

Please click here to see the Media Release 

In solidarity, 

Steve Geick, President

Yukon Employees' Union

Thank you for to all those who took the time to attend a strike vote meeting last week. Your elected bargaining team has reaffirmed that their priorities represent the will of the membership as they work to achieve a solid negotiated agreement.

You've spoken with a strong, unified voice, and provided your team with clear direction. Together, you voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, should it be necessary.

The team returns to the bargaining table today, and the strike mandate will allow them to bargain from a position of strength. Contract negotiation is tough, and we wish them the best as they face the employer.

Please click the image below to read the media release which was provided to the press this morning.