RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO:
Yukon Employees’ Union 2285-2nd Ave. Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 1C9
Yukon Employees’ Union Jan/Feb 2019
NEWS
Let’s all be leaders. “We need a movement where we are constantly encouraging each other to step into our full potential and shine as a collective of leaders working together for a better world. Let’s all be leaders. Let’s be leaderful, not leaderless.” (from Beautiful Trouble, Andrew Boyd) hat would your workplace and union look like if it was “leaderful”? Perhaps that Foreperson at the highway camp would be the go-to for all questions from co-workers about their negotiated benefits. Maybe the friendly administrative assistant would welcome all new employees into the union, making sure they sign union cards and receive a copy of the Collective Agreement.
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The safety conscious Nursing Home Attendant could make sure that everyone reports workplace risks and incidents and that prevention is always on the agenda at the Occupational Health and Safety Committee meetings. Maybe the shy maintenance worker could be recruited to keep the Local’s Facebook page updated so members can stay connected.
Union education can help. Shop Stewards are the base of a leaderful workplace, and our YEU training is centered on supporting this role. We are currently building skills and capacity in our Shop Steward network. We ran two Orientation training sessions in the fall of 2018, one in Dawson City and the other in Whitehorse. These new Shop Stewards are now being mentored by experienced Shop Stewards, the Labour Relations Advisors and Intake Officer as they learn the ropes. Our Shop Stewards could use some help. Think about helping out in whichever way you feel most at ease and we will support you in your role. The Shop Steward Orientation is 1.5 days of learning and sharing with other members who want to organize and represent their co-workers. There are three Orientation sessions coming up in January, February and March. In April, we welcome all Shop Stewards to our Annual Conference in Whitehorse. Details and registration for all our training events can be found at yeu.ca/training. All YEU union education is free with no loss of pay for members taking courses on their work time. To learn more about the Shop Steward role or any these other roles at work and with the union, talk to your Chief Shop Steward and attend your Local meetings.
Imagine if the long-term employee, maybe not the union’s biggest fan, was consulted and invited to participate in Joint Labour-Management meetings. In that context, their expertise and experience could make all the difference.
yeu.ca/training Page 2
YEU NEWS January 2019
NEWS
From the President’s Desk Steve Geick
Welcome to 2019, It certainly started off with a bang! fter 11 weeks on the picket line and almost two years without a contract, the workers at Many Rivers Counselling and Support services are preparing to return to work. They ratified a new Collective Agreement on January 21st.
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While the strike has ended and the workers will be soon back to providing their much-needed services, this is not over by a long shot. I look forward to the Society returning to compliance by holding a legal AGM so Yukoners can participate, and have their say as to how this essential service should operate in the future. I want to thank everyone who came together to support the striking workers in so many ways. It was your solidarity, your presence on the picket line, all the honking horns and donations of cookies and hot coffee that helped turn the tide and bring this issue into the public realm. I know the workers appreciated everything that you did. Since 2012, the workers at Many Rivers have negotiated three collective agreements. Twice, they have been pushed to the point of walking off the job. Why? Is this a radical, militant group of individuals? Absolutely not - in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. A 2018 Globe and Mail article states, “Strikes will always be the last resort in collective bargaining. But it's strikes that make the news. The reality is that the vast majority of collective agreements – 94 per cent in the federal jurisdiction alone – are settled without a work stoppage.” An organization’s core culture is the key factor in determining how smoothly negotiations will go, and the outcomes one can reasonably expect. A well-functioning workplace is the product of strong leadership, and sadly that has not been thick on the ground at Many Rivers for a long time now. As the Carver model of governance adopted by the society dictates, the Executive Director answers only to the board. A legitimate and well attended AGM will help ensure a balanced and competent Board of Directors, necessary if there’s to be any hope of improving the core culture. The Board’s current composition is questionable; consider the mother/ daughter team of Marina Bailey and Marian Horne (past minister in Dennis Fentie’s cabinet), Dixie Stevenson, mother of Many Rivers’ financial officer, and Larry Kwiat – rumoured to have been hand selected by Executive Director Brent Ramsay. Not many jobs allow you to hand select your employer. Yukon Employees’ Union Newsletter
Throughout this strike, Ramsay was nowhere to be found. The only Brent sighting during the months’ long cat and mouse game was that of a hooded figure shrouded in black, leaving the building by the side door and slinking around the back to his car. Meanwhile, board President Marina Bailey weighed in only through a questionable late night Facebook rant and Vice President Larry Kwiat showed a complete lack of grace or class, disrespecting his workers by barking orders and giving them the one finger salute on the picket line. In 2012 and 2018, the workers reached out to the Board of Directors seeking to appeal to the better instincts of the Society’s volunteer directors. In both cases, they remained mute, refusing to intervene in the bargaining process. They hid instead behind their carefully cultivated misunderstanding of the Carver model, and despite being legally required to approve a new collective agreement. They failed to provide appropriate guidance and direction to their Executive Director, and allowed a damaging work stoppage to stretch on. Strikes can be among the most stressful times in a worker’s career. In both 2012 and 2018, the workers were demanding better working conditions to provide better services to their clients, and take care of their own mental and physical well being. Despite online trolls who suggest otherwise, choosing to strike is always the membership’s decision. The union supported their decision to walk off the job, accepted their decisions throughout the bargaining process, and when it was time to ratify or reject a negotiated agreement. The ongoing investigation ordered by the Corporate Registrar will likely conclude soon. We hope the Many Rivers’ board of directors takes a good look at the culture they’ve allowed to fester, and make moves to improve. We also urge everyone who has been affected by this long and difficult strike to step up, attend the AGM and be part of a solution. Only through transparency and diverse community participation will this organization realize its mandate. I want to express how honored and privileged I feel to have been part of supporting the Wellness Warriors in their quest to claim the respect and dignity they deserve. In adversity, you see who people really are. These people, the members of Local Y031, they are rock solid. They are good people.
January 2019 Page 3
When your union and employer are engaged in the bargaining process, a statutory freeze on the terms and conditions of employment is dictated by the Canada Labour Code. Once the employer has received the union’s notice of intent to bargain, no significant change in your working arrangement can be imposed. This would include changes to your hours of work, rate of pay, or any other term of employment. In some circumstances where proper cause can be established, the right to suspend, transfer, layoff, discipline or discharge an employee during this freeze period may be successfully argued by the employer. If you are concerned that changes are being made to your working arrangements during this statutory freeze period, please contact the union. We will look into the matter and ensure the rules of bargaining are respected. Get in touch through our website, yeu.ca/contact, call the office; 867-667-2331, or email contact@yeu.ca
This is what
Solidarity looks like!
Upcoming Training with Yukon Employees’ Union Jan 30-31 - Shop Steward Orientation Feb 6 5:30pm-7pm - Understanding Your Collective Agreement Feb 20 9am-12pm - Organizing Your Workplace Feb 26-27 Shop Steward Orientation March 6 5:30pm-7pm -Talking Union with Supervisors & Assistant Mgrs March 27-28 - Shop Steward Orientation April 9-10 Annual Shop Steward Conference All Yukon Employees’ Union education is free with no loss of pay for members taking courses on their work time. Not sure? Contact Lynne Pajot, Education Officer @ 667-2331 xt 1002
Get details and register @ yeu.ca/training
Yukon Employees’ Union Newsletter
January 2018 Page 4
Yukon’s Minimum Wage Review The Government of Yukon is poised to move on the minimum wage. What will they do? In November 2018, the Yukon Employment Standards Board produced a Review of Yukon’s Minimum Wage, recommending an increase to the minimum wage. The review suggested the following increases; April 2019 – $12.60, April 2020 – $13.80, and, April 2021 – $15.12. The review noted the use of a graduated approach could reduce the financial shock to employers. YFL asks, “Why is managing potential financial shock to employers valued more than bringing Yukoners out of poverty?” Minimum wage was introduced in Canada as a means to address inequity between men, women and children in the workplace. Over time the inequity principle has been eroded and manipulated by the business community, to the point where businesses have been granted more consideration than workers. Historically, many of Yukon business groups have opposed minimum wage increases. With every significant increase to the minimum wage, they have produced dire warnings about unemployment, business collapse and economic stagnation. Despite the warnings, the business community has survived and become more robust, versatile and adaptive with each increase in Yukon’s minimum wage. The claims of the potential collapse of the business community seem to have swayed the Employment Standards Board to recommend the predictable and mediocre path of a $15/hour minimum wage. Yukon Federation of Labour believes Yukon can be better than mediocre. The Government of Yukon has an opportunity to be a leader in Canada, adopting a graduated move to a Yukon Living Wage, beyond simply increasing the minimum wage. The 2018 Yukon Living Wage was determined to be $18.57 per hour for a family of four. YFL believes Yukon government could implement a similar graduated approach to increasing the minimum wage to meet the living wage.
egotiations between the Public Service Alliance and the Government of Yukon continued the week of January 20-26 in Whitehorse. Based on membership input and priorities, a large number of unresolved topics remain. In this round of talks, the parties worked to narrow down the list of outstanding issues. Additional editorial items were agreed upon, and hours of work for a number of specific groups were signed off.
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Discussions continued for key outstanding items: Respectful Workplace proposals remain unresolved, as do scheduling and hours of work for Continuing Care and Home Support workers and Community Nursing. Topics previously listed as discussion items at our initial exchange, based on information provided by the government team were explored further and resulted in the Union team submitting most of the remaining proposals that have a financial impact. These proposals include: •
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A new article entitled Critical Incident Leave. This proposal is designed to respond to the specific mental health needs of members who may, and in the case of first responders are confronted with traumatic work situations. A proposal for joint workplace training in topic areas such as Labour Management Committees and Mental Health in the workplace
All new proposals that were tabled this past week can be found on the YEU website, http://bit.ly/2FTPQ1v The teams are scheduled to meet again in March. No monetary proposals, including anything pertaining to severance, have yet been tabled by the employer.
We believe giving workers the ability to move out of poverty is more valuable than responding to a sky-isfalling business reaction. If you feel the same way, please contact John Streicker, Minister responsible for the Employment Standards Board, and let him know you support a Yukon Living Wage. The minimum wage review is publicly available at http://bit.ly/2sSjifL Justin Lemphers, President Yukon Federation of Labour
January 2019 Page 5
2018 was a year filled with accomplishments, challenges and opportunities to grow. We were busy! Together, we fought for City workers’ rights when the employer tried to claw back benefits. Our members stepped up to help those in need, both in the territory and beyond. Our 24th Annual Feed the People Bbq fed a record number of people, and our Mountain of Mac & Cheese helped keep the Whitehorse Food Bank shelves stocked for another season. YEU members travelled for training and activim, proving themselves to be powerful speakers at the PSAC National Convention in April. Page 6
Bargaining Teams were elected to represent their memberships, and those teams carried the responsibility with dignity and determination in all cases. Local Y031 members at Many Rivers prevailed when their employer refused to respect the workers or clients, and they did so with grace. All of us at YEU feel honoured to represent such a strong, committed and diverse group of people. You are the union, and we hope you achieve great things in 2019.
You inspire the work we do. Thank you! YEU NEWS January 2019
Yukon Employees’ Union
In Solidarity with Unist’ot’en Camp The Yukon Employee’s Union stands in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Nation in British Columbia. As a trade union that represents over 5,000 Yukoners, the Yukon Employees’ Union supports the full implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions’ Calls to Actions, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. On January 7th, 2019, heavily armed RCMP took aggressive action at the Unist’ot’en Camp on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory as they forcibly removed several land defenders as they protected their land from a major pipeline development. The Wet’suwet’en fought for many years in the Delgamuukw-Gisday’wa court case to have their sovereignty affirmed by Canadian law. In 1997, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Wet’suwet’en people, as represented by their hereditary leaders, had not given up rights and title to 22,000 square kilometers of Northern British Columbia. The Yukon Employees’ Union calls on the Government of British Columbia and Government of Canada to respect the unceded territory of the Wet’suwet’en Nation and to respect a nation to nation relationship with Indigenous Peoples.
To learn more, please visit the Unist’ot’en website at : http://unistoten.camp/
Are you an older adult wondering about mental wellness and age? Are you providing support to a senior with a mental health issue, dementia, mild cognitive dysfunction, etc.? Join seniors, caregivers and others at series of FREE Mental Wellness Conversation Cafés, for presentations, discussion, information and conversation.
March 7: “Winter Blues? Low Mood?” How is it different for older men and women? What resources are there to assist you, your family and friends? Facilitators: Psychologist Dr. Reagan Gale and social worker and Manager of Seniors Services, Kelly Cooper, both with Health and Social Services.
DATES: February 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, & May 30 TIME: 1:30 – 3:30 pm LOCATION: Lewis Hall, at Whitehorse United Church
Do you need a ride? Can you offer a ride? Contact Seniors Action Yukon at sractionyk@gmail.com or call Tiffanie at Canadian Mental Health Association – Yukon Division at 668-6429, by the Monday evening of the week of the Conversation Café.
February 7: “Finding Your North Star - shifting with the ages and stages of life”. Finding purpose and meaning as we age and our roles change. Facilitator: Bonnie MacDonald, focuses on mindfulness and resilient approaches to change, has lived in Yukon since 1980 and facilitates groups throughout North America in mental health and social service fields.
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Sponsored by the Wahl Fund, Seniors Action Yukon, Canadian Mental Health Association Yukon Division, Northern Institute of Social Justice, Yukon College; and coordinated by Susan Rae, Andrew Kaegi, and Lillian Nakamura Maguire.
YEU NEWS January 2018
MEETINGS & EVENTS Shop Steward Round Table: 3rd Wed, 9am - noon, YEU YEU Monthly Exec Meeting: 2nd Thurs., 5:15 - 7pm, YEU Y010 Monthly Meeting: 2nd Tues., 5:30-7:30 p.m., YEU Y017 Monthly Meeting: 4th Thursday, 7:00 p.m., YEU Best wishes to the Executive and Bargaining Team for YEU/PSAC Local Y024, Yukon Utility Workers, heading into bargaining in late January. It’s a tough job -THANKS for the work you’re doing on behalf of your Local!
AGM - Y013 CDC February 06, 2019 12pm - 3pm Child Development Centre AGM - Y044 Skookum Jim Emergency After-Hours Shelter February 27, 2019 5pm YEU Lucy Jackson Room
Nation Builder Training for Locals February 27, 2019, 9am - 4:30pm YEU Boardroom AGM - Y017 YG Human Services March 28, 2019, 5:30pm
YEU STAFF CONTACTS Susan Koser, Labour Relations Advisor; skoser@yeu.ca Dan Robinson, Labour Relations Advisor; drobinson@yeu.ca David Anderson, Labour Relations Advisor; danderson@yeu.ca Jessica Kish, Labour Relations Advisor; jkish@yeu.ca Lynne Pajot, Education Officer; lpajot@yeu.ca Beckie Huston, Intake Advisor; bhuston@yeu.ca Tammy Olsen, Financial Officer; tolsen@yeu.ca Roseanne Elias, Membership Services Officer; relias@yeu.ca Deborah Turner-Davis, Communications; dturner-davis@yeu.ca Christie Harper, Executive Director; charper@yeu.ca
Yukon Employees’ Union, 2285 2nd Ave. Whitehorse YT Y1A 1C9 PH: 867-667-2331 Fax: 867-667-6521 1-888-YEU-2331 contact@yeu.ca www.yeu.ca Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. Page 8
YEU NEWS January 2019