Bargaining status - Yukon government employees
Mid-March 2010
Gaby Levesque – BARGAINING UPDATE #1
On February 24th, your bargaining team met with the Employer to exchange bargaining demands. This first meeting officially launched this round of collective bargaining for employees of the Yukon Territorial Government.
Your bargaining team was elected at the Bargaining Conference held in Whitehorse back in September, 2009. The members who are representing you at the main bargaining table are Kathy Burns, Kathy Donnelly, Loralee Kesler, Tony Thomas, Steve Geick and Jack Bourassa. Julie Docherty was elected as the alternate. Also at the table are Laurie Butterworth, YEU President, and Gaby Levesque, the PSAC Negotiator.
After exchanging bargaining demands on February 24th, we met again on February 25th to further clarify the Union’s position and receive a first response from the Employer. John Gordon, the National President of the PSAC, came to the table to present the Union’s demand on the Social Justice Fund. Jean-François Des Lauriers, the PSAC’s Regional Executive Vice-President for the North, was also present for the discussion.
Four more days of bargaining are scheduled from March 29th to April 1st. Unlike the last round of bargaining in 2007, the Employer did not table a weighty package of concessions. This means that we can focus on making the improvements that members would like to see to their working conditions, while knowing that we are also able to preserve the agreement that expired in December, 2009.
The bargaining team expects to be at the table for long hours in March, and both sides would like to conclude an agreement in this session. Whether or not we are able to do so will depend entirely on how the Employer responds to the Union’s demands. By April 1st, however, we will certainly have a sense of how things are going, and be able to report on progress to date.
Thank you to all for your continued support of your bargaining team as they work hard to build, protect, and improve your collective agreement.
February 2010
The pre-bargaining process relating to non-monetary issues is in full swing for members working for the Yukon government – representatives for both sides met on January 20 and 22.
The first round of negotiations at the main table is scheduled for February 24 and 25. At this time the union and the employer will exchange proposals. The second round is scheduled for March 29 to April 1, 2010.
November 2009
The Bargaining Input Committee for Yukon government employees met in September, at which time the negotiating team was elected.
No further input will be accepted for this round of negotiations. However, no proposals submitted by members will be rejected. They will be held for negotiations following the expiry of the collective agreement now being negotiated.
Pre-Bargaining for non-monetary items will begin in January. We anticipate that the main negotiating tables will meet on February 24-25.
Once proposals are exchanged, we will post updates on this site to keep our members informed of bargaining progress.
March 2009
Yukon government employees begin 2009 bargaining process
The member-input phase of the
collective bargaining process for
workers employed by the Yukon
government has begun. The current
collective agreement with the
government expires on December
31, 2009. Yukon legislation allows
the formal negotiating process
to start at the beginning of
October this year.
Well before your union representatives
meet face-to-face
with the employer, a process
takes place designed to ensure
that individual union members
have the opportunity to have a
say about the position presented at
the bargaining table.
Your input into the union's bargaining
position will help ensure
that the final package presented to
the employer accurately addresses
your concerns. The printable Bargaining Input Form allows members to directly
inform your their Bargaining Input
Committee (BIC) about your concerns
and suggestions for the coming
negotiations. Our members’
collective input influences the priorities
set by the Bargaining Input
Team team.
The union accepts any and all proposals. Following the close of the
input period, the BIC (comprised
of members elected or appointed
for all worksites) meets to review
the submissions. They then develop
our package for presentation to
the employer.
The nomination period for seats on
Bargaining Input Committee is
now open. Our goal is to have
each and every Yukon government
worksite represented. The link to the Bargaining Input Form above also includes three
copies of a Bargaining Input
Committee Nomination Form. If
you wish to participate or to nominate
another member from your
worksite, complete and return one
or more of these forms. Notices of election for contested
positions on the BIC will be posted
on your workplace bulletin
board. The six members of your
Negotiating Team will be
elected from this committee.
Successful collective bargaining
requires the par-ticipation
and support of the union's
members. Please take the time
to speak with your co-workers
and review your workplace
concerns. Identify, either collectively
or as an individual,
changes to the Collective
Agreement that you would like to
see introduced. Fill in the Bargaining
Input Form, or simply
write your requests on a sheet of
paper. Fax or mail (see Contact page) your input to
the Yukon Employees' Union, or
send your input by e-mail to adminsec@yeu.ca.
If you require any further information
call YEU at 667-2331, or toll free at 1-888-YEU-2331.
February 1, 2008
Hospital workers ratify agreement
The tentative agreement reached by PSAC (negotiating on behalf of YEU Local Y025) and the Whitehorse General Hospital (Yukon Hospital Corporation) has been ratified by the members.
See News Release.
The ratification package is available as a pdf by clicking the following link: WGH Ratification.
For more information, please contact the Yukon Employees’ Union at 667-2331.
January 30, 2008
Hospital ratification package now online
The ratification package for members of WGH Local Y025 is available as a pdf by clicking the following link: WGH Ratification.
January 15, 2008
Union negotiators
– hospital reach tentative deal
A tentative agreement has been reached by PSAC (negotiating on behalf of YEU Local Y025) and the Whitehorse General Hospital (Yukon Hospital Corporation).
Details of the tentative deal will be released to union members at ratification meetings scheduled for the end of January. Ratification packages are now in preparation.
The ratification meetings will be held at the Whitehorse General Hospital at the following times:
Jaunary 30 – 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
January 31
–8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact the Yukon Employees' Union at 667-2331.
November 15, 2007
First round of negotiations for Whitehorse General Hospital workers ends
The bargaining team representing Whitehorse General Hospital Local Y025 met with the employer for the first time on Monday, November 5, 2007. For information on the results of this meeting, view the pdf document: Bulletin #1.
YTG employees vote in favour of tentative agreement
Employees of the Government of Yukon have ratified the tentative agreement reached between YEU/PSAC and the Yukon government.
See Press Release.
Tentative YTG-PSAC Agreement Ratification Package
Collective Bargaining - Yukon government employees
March 30, 2007
Highlights of YTG agreement
The Yukon Employees' Union and
the Public Service Alliance of
Canada, negotiating on behalf of
our members, reached a tentative
agreement with the Yukon government
on March 28, 2007.
Details of the agreement will be
presented at information sessions
to be held across the Yukon.
Highlights include:
• a 3 year term;
• a 9% wage increase over the
term of the agreement, payable at
a rate of 1.8% January 1 and
1.2% June 1 of each year (the
same terms agreed to by Yukon
teachers);
• a significant number of other
financial gains that extend across
the workforce, thereby benefiting
all Yukon government employees;
• a substantial number of nonmonetary
operational changes
that will improve the day-to-day worklife of our members.
The agreement will be submitted
to the membership for ratification
as soon as the information sessions
are complete. Detailed packages
with the full terms of the tentative
agreement will be delivered by
mail. All YEU members in good
standing who are employed by the
Yukon government will be eligible
to vote.
The dates and times of the information
sessions were being
arranged as this newsletter went to
press.
YEU members can get further
information from the YEU
website at www.yeu.ca. You may
also contact the YEU office at 667-
2331 (collect outside Whitehorse).
March 29, 2007
NEWS RELEASE
YEU and Yukon Government Reach Tentative Agreement.
Read News Release.
February 2007
Joint Statement from President Butterworth and PSAC Negotiator Gaby Lévesque.
Your bargaining team met for the first time with the employer on February 12 in Whitehorse. The Union's proposals, which were presented to the employer at the start of bargaining, are a combination of issues brought forward from pre-bargaining, and proposals selected by the Bargaining Committee last November.
The employer indicated that they anticipate a productive and co-operative round of negotiations, but presented the Union with a challenging package of demands. Your team is well prepared and committed to defending the rights of all of our members, however, and determined to negotiate a fair agreement for all.
After two days of face-to-face negotiations, we next meet the employer on March 26. We are scheduled to be at the table for four days, and hope to conclude most non-monetary issues at that time.
Your bargaining team thanks you for your continued encouragement and support.
January 2007
The first set of pre-bargaining meetings for employees of the Yukon government began early this month.
Representatives of the Union and the employer met to exchange proposals and make administrative changes to the existing collective agreement. PSAC negotiator Jim Brohman led the YEU team during the discussion which were held on Monday, January 8 through Wednesday, January 10.
YEU President Laurie Butterworth expressed satisfaction with the
meetings, and is optimistic that agreement can be achieved.
The Union spent several months researching and finalizing its bargaining position. Proposals from YEU members were first solicited in June, 2006. The Union’s elected Bargaining Input Committee met in September to review all material submitted and set priorities for the bargaining table.
At the first pre-bargaining session, agreement was achieved on 28 items. Six items were withdrawn by mutual agreement (3 by the Union; 3 by the employer).
During pre-bargaining, a separate table addresses specific proposals on behalf of Yukon nurses. One item was referred to this table for consideration.
The pre-bargaining sessions are designed to deal with less controversial issues prior to the opening of full-table bargaining.
YEU will release progress reports throughout negotiations. Bulletins will be posted on the Yukon Employees’ Union website at www.yeu.ca, and on bulletin boards in work sites. Questions about the progress of negotiations can be directed to the YEU office at 667-2331.
The team members are:
Laurie Butterworth, YEU President
Gaby Levesque, PSAC Negotiator
Jim Brohman, PSAC Regional Representative
Kathy Burns
Sharleen Patterson
Loralee Kesler
Kyle Keenan
Kevin Easton
Steve Geick
Pre-bargaining team members are:
Russ Carpenter
Anthony Thomas
Sue Christianson
Chris Meyer
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