Dear Members,
Your bargaining team met with Yukon Government management during the week of June 11-13. This round we primarily focused on unresolved proposals. In addition to narrowing down outstanding articles, we also addressed other non-monetary items that hadn’t been tabled.
Agenda items included:
- Classification and Reclassification
- Articles related to Emergency Medical Services job titles and hours of rest
- Article 6 – Discrimination, Harassment and Workplace Violence
- Administrative Leave with pay
- Health and Safety provisions
- A follow-up on the Union proposal regarding harassment investigations
- Leave for Local Presidents – Y010 and Y017
- Yukon Nominee Program (Click for proposed Letter of Understanding)
- The Health Authority
On the bullets above, we were able to sign off on new classification language and a new article for leave for Local Presidents. These articles, and any other articles that we agree to in bargaining, don’t apply until a new and ratified Collective Agreement takes effect. In the meantime, the current collective agreement remains in effect and is still in place.
On the issue of Shäw Kwä’ą (the Yukon health authority) – In our last bulletin, we reported that the YG team agreed that having a framework for transfer was necessary for members’ peace of mind and some level of certainty. The Union team was invited by the employer to make a proposal, which the team did in April. Two months later, the employer is “not ready” to discuss the Health Authority any further right now. Their rationale for delayed dialogue centered on anticipated costs, and the employer floated the idea that the mandate around the Health Authority might change after this year’s election.
While the employer delays, the Union bargaining team reaffirms its’ continued commitment to meaningful reconciliation and the need to decolonize health care. And, we continue to have serious differences on the framework for transfer. These differences include, among other things, pensions, benefits, and the many other matters that need to be addressed before the establishment of Shäw Kwä’ą – however long that may take.
We requested an employer counterproposal for Shäw Kwä’ą and are stuck waiting until it’s delivered.
Our next set of bargaining dates is August 11- 15.
In solidarity, your bargaining team,
Amie Angel, Laurel Cole, Rosa Barraco, Tammi Johnson, Ian MacDonald, Erik Miller, Matt Murphy, Ted Klassen & Erna Post