Yukon Employees' Union Newsletter, October 2020

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Yukon Employees’ Union October 2020

NEWS

Local Y025 Yukon Hospital Workers Negotiating for Safe Hospitals, Healthy Staff It is no exaggeration to say the current round of bargaining between YEU/PSAC Local Y025 and the Yukon Hospital Corporation has been unique. When the team met the week of March 9 for face­to­face bargaining, they were looking forward to a productive and engaging session. For the first time, the employer had agreed to Open Bargaining, allowing members to sit in and observe the negotiations.

Instead, March 13th saw the shut down of the Canadian Parliament, the declaration of a National Emergency in the US, and the closure of businesses, services, and borders around the globe. Clearly, the collective agreement would have to wait.

certainty they need as they return to negotiations. After a long delay, virtual talks resumed the week of September 23.

Key issues for members include work load, health & safety protections and the chronic understaffing of most depart­ ments at WGH. The added requirement to maintain COVID­ 19 protocols and ensure member safety while addressing the healthcare needs of Yukoners has only pushed pre­ existing workload and scheduling issues to unsustainable levels.

Workers are exhausted and concerned, as we heard in our recent member survey.

Talks shifted immediately to discussing repercussions of the looming pandemic and how best to work together to protect the health and safety of PSAC members and Yukoners in the interim.

“Continually shifting work schedules because of ongoing chronic understaffing is demoralizing for staff and greatly upsets work/life balance.”

The group representing workers consists of five women ­ strong advocates determined to bring the concerns and issues of their membership to the table. A recent member survey provided the team with a strong mandate, and the

Bargaining is tough at the best of times; we stand with the YEU/PSAC Local Y025 team as they negotiate under very trying circumstances. They are fighting for the well­being of their members, and for the health and safety of all Yukoners.

We’re getting all caught up on the Laundry!

Join us Tuesday Oct. 13, 6-9 pm at the Family Hotel Laundromat. Thanks to Covid -19, we’ll only have a few patrons in the laundromat at a time, but we look forward to seeing you and talking TURKEY after Thanksgiving!

Tuesday October 13, 6-9 pm

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ood day! I’m Michelle Parsons and I am the new Executive Director of the Yukon Employees’ Union. I am of both Tlingit and Tagish ancestry from Carcross/Tagish First Nation and a member of the Dak’laweidí Clan.

I can honestly say that this has been the most interesting and unique time to start a new position! Many YEU staff have been working from home, so I spent the first week get­ ting to know everyone over zoom. On the bright side (I’m a forever optimist), it wasn’t as overwhelming as most first days can be.

I come from a long public service history. I completed my Masters in Social Sciences while living in Ottawa working for: Public Works and Government Services Canada; Public Safety Canada; Correctional Service of Canada; Justice Canada while helping to set up the National Council of Aboriginal Federal Employees. Since moving to the Yukon in 2009, I have worked for the Carcross/Tagish First Nation, Yukon Government (Aboriginal Relations) and Yukon Housing Corporation.

One of my initial projects has been the return to work plan for the YEU offices. We’re working towards a gradual safe return to the office commencing September 14th. Although we are in the office, the downstairs meeting rooms will con­ tinue to be used for members meeting with the staff, and local meetings.

If you are stopping by for a meeting, please call your contact from the back door or use the buzzer on the wall to the right of the door. If you stop by to pick up materials, we will have an area set up outside the front door (at the top of the stairs) for material pick­ups and document signatures.

Family Hotel Laundromat

PLEASE DON’T PRE-LOAD MACHINES. Wait ‘til we’re set up & ready - thanks!

Volunteers welcome the 2nd Tuesday of each month for this 3 hour event. We respect COVID precautions, we have fun supporting the community and helping to lighten the load.

Message us: yeu.ca/contact to volunteer or learn more about the Laundry Project.

Have a meeting with the BOSS? Restore the balance.

Ask your Shop Steward or Local Union Representative to join you in the meeting.

We will be looking to update the technology so that virtual meetings are more accessible as the world turns to the safe­ ty of the online meeting.

Although we have had a quite wet and dreary summer, I am enjoying the start of autumn and the pretty colors that come with it!

I have to say that I have appreciated the warm welcome to YEU and look forward to meeting more of you (virtually and in­person) as we navigate a more virtual world together.

In solidarity, Michelle Parsons, ED Yukon Employees’ Union Page 2

visit yeu.ca/locals or yeu.ca/intake

YEU NEWS October 2020

NEWS

From the President’s Desk Steve Geick

I want to send a big shout out to Yukon workers who have carried us tirelessly through 7 months of COVID­19 upheaval. Yukoners from all walks of life were suddenly deemed essential workers. Some of our most vulnerable population; casual workers, those with no paid sick leave, single parents, those who are forced to work mul­ tiple jobs to make ends meet were suddenly thrust into situations they had never even dreamed of. A few employers stepped up immediately and did the right thing, paid sick leave, alternate working arrangements and flexible hours. Others, not so much.

In mid­March YEU tried to be proactive, proposing a Letter of Understanding (LOU) to all 20 of the employers in our bargaining units. From the smallest employer with 3 members to the largest with close to 4500, they all received the same letter. In that LOU we asked for Quarantine leave with pay, even though in some collec­ tive agreements the word quarantine is included in existing sick leave language. Other LOU provisions dealt with potential closures, telework and specific Health and Safety language around pandemic­specific Personal Protective Equipment. Other than a few employers who voluntarily implemented some of these measures, we are still fighting every day for the same damned things.

“The original intent around quarantine leave was for TB and polio – the collective agreement contemplated individual situations. This is a pandemic and is a whole new ballgame. It should mean everyone is treated equally on the matter of quarantine leave. The employ‐ er’s position is ludicrous, petty and mean‐spirited.”

So, what do we do now? How do Yukon workers gain the right to take COVID­related leave during a global pan­ demic without succumbing to punitive, ad­hoc leave policies? We fight. The union and its members have to keep doing what we always do; we fight for all workers, all Yukoners.

Maybe we start by shining a bright, shaming light on employers whose half­baked policies and lack of leader­ ship have created two tiered workplaces.

reduced hours, and for the parallel workforce whose leave has been preserved while working from home. We will certainly call out employers who have taken advan­ tage of this pandemic to ignore negotiated contracts and get around their legal and moral obligations to their workers. We intend to publicly OUT any Yukon employ­ ers who have willfully disregarded collective agree­ ments, leveraging this period of confusion and tiptoing around bargained collective agreements to support blatant nepotism and favoritism.

Our team is busy filing grievances of every kind to defend workers’ rights, and we have no plans to let up.

We are poised to file unfair bargaining complaints with the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to halt employer interference in the union’s ability to represent its mem­ bers.

Of course, we are dealing with the big guns – entrenched, well­resourced employers like YG and the Yukon Hospital Corporation. They are counting on the probability that it could take years for some of these grievances to be heard – callous exploitation of an over­ whelmed system.

We have worked these grievances through all the usual channels, and we’ve gotten NOWHERE, and we think that’s by intent. When the very people positioned to command change stonewall and evade our efforts, we know we’re in for a fight.

We will continue to pursue the grievance option but it’s time for action: public shaming of the politicians and bureaucrats who are sitting safely behind closed doors.

They’re making asinine decisions that affect not only our members but all Yukoners while they ignore calls for a just policy on non­punitive COVID leave. We need peo­ ple from all walks of life to write letters, to be out in the streets demanding what they should be entitled to.

Over the coming months we will be engaging as many allies as we can, unionized or not, public, private, and non­profit sector allies who share our belief that this is about the health and well­being of all Yukoners.

We’ll fight for workers borrowing vacation leave from next year to pick their kids up from a daycare with Yukon Employees’ Union Newsletter

October 2020 Page 3

Benefits of Membership Updated Savings for YEU YEU/PSAC members enjoy terrific deals on products and services locally and nationally, thanks to great benefits negotiated for you by our staff.

We want to highlight some generous savings offered by a few of our local Yukon business operators.

G­P Distributing Enter their FREE DRAW! G­P Distributing have increased the discount offered to YEU members to 10% this year. These savings will be applied to all grocery, equipment and small wares purchases, and anything at regular price. This excludes tobacco and specials/features.

For the month of October, every YEU member who orders and uses the YEU savings code will have their name entered to win a fantastic gift pack valued at $200, featuring great items from Yukon producers.

Order at 667­4500 or g­pdistributing.com To receive the discount, and to be eligible for the prize draw, use Code GP2021YEU

Fuel Yukon YEU/PSAC Members enjoy a discount of 3­cents/L off any fuel purchase both at the pump and for home heating oil. If you sign up for auto­fill, you’ll receive an additional 3­cent/L discount ­ that makes for a total of 6­cents/L savings for home heating oil.

Sign up at Fuel Yukon: 867­633­3322 or email info@fuelyukon.com

Zillman’s Grill: All YEU Members are invited to the restaurant on 2nd Avenue in Whitehorse, opposite the Liquor Store.

You’ll enjoy their terrific food at a generous 10% dis­ count. Please be prepared to show your YEU/PSAC Membership Card. Don’t have one? Call YEU Membership Services at 667­2331, extension 1000.

YEU Behind the Scenes or: Important things you didn’t know your Union was working on. in pay, even if the assignment is to lower­rated work.

Over the last few months, YEU Shop Stewards and Labour Relations Advisors have been incredibly busy, and the bulk of their work has been navigating a minefield of ad­hoc policies, selective collective agreement interpretation and disregard for the terms of their negotiated contracts. As many of you have discovered, employer responses to COVID have varied supervi­ sor to supervisor, branch to branch and department to depart­ ment.

No matter whether an employer has only a dozen workers or a battalion of HR staff, each creative interpretation of the con­ tract or policy has a direct and profound impact on the lives of the workforce. Sadly the unchecked “creativity” of many deci­ sion makers has made a difficult time even harder for too many of you.

We have seen a spike in the number of Health & Safety con­ cerns, and problems around use of leave and the employer’s Duty to Accommodate. Here’s a bit of what’s been keeping us busy.

COVID SCREENING & FORCED LEAVE Many workers must undergo COVID screening before attending work. Although the union acknowledges these precautions may be necessary, there is the potential for healthy members to be prohibited from working until they undergo a COVID test.

Low­grade symptoms like a runny nose or a slightly elevated temperatures have been enough to keep workers home until they can provide proof of a negative COVID test. Members are often required to rely on vacation leave while employers deny the use of sick leave for quarantine while they await test results.

If this has happened to you, we want to know; we’ve filed policy and personal grievances to force employers to act in the interest of public health without harming workers.

SHIFT WORK PREMIUMS: Shift­work employees at the Hospital are entitled to a $3.25/hour shift premium for all hours worked after 4pm and before 8am. It appears that at least one group of employees has been getting shift premium only for hours after 6:00pm and before 6:00am. We are currently investigating a group grievance to correct this.

FLEXIBLE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS: YEU is working to secure more flexible working arrangements for members in several Locals that respect personal health con­ cerns, care of vulnerable family members, or increased childcare responsibilities due to increased absences from school. All of these are COVID­related and in most cases, we are looking for a partial work­from­home arrangement, flexibility with working hours, flexibility with leave usage or in some cases, paid COVID­ leave without drawing on leave accruals.

COVID RELATED RE­ASSIGNMENTS: We have filed a policy grievance with YG about reassigning employees to higher­rated work without offering acting pay. If an employee has been re­assigned to other duties under the Civil Emergency Measures Act they should not have a reduction

At the same time, if they are re­assigned to higher­rated work our Collective Agreement entitles them to acting pay at 5% or the bottom of the higher rate. We are addressing this for mem­ bers who should have received acting pay but did not; If you have been reassigned to higher­rated work and not properly compensated for it, we need to hear from you.

ARBITRARY JOB DESCRIPTION CHANGES at YG: We have had a number of calls from workers whose job descrip­ tions are being edited and expanded. Please make sure you con­ tact classifications@gov.yk.ca for review, and to request a reclassification. Doing so will protect the date the changes were made so members can get retroactive pay upon reclassification, if successful. We also recommend that employees do the work requested, and contact the union as soon as possible to avoid being deemed insubordinate.

RELEASE ON PROBATION at YG: The Public Service Labour Relations Act language means little can be done for members who’ve been released during their probationary period in a new job. To fight this, the union must prove there was some form of discrimination in the release.

The employer doesn’t need a good reason (just cause) for the release; their reason can be as vague as “they just don’t fit in”.

To make matters worse, the Public Service Act forces employees back onto probation whenever they transfer to another perma­ nent position in YG. A public servant with years of excellent per­ formance reviews could be released just because their new manager didn’t think they were a good fit.

If that employee has more than 5 years service as a permanent employee, the Public Service Commission might choose to reap­ point them to some other YG position. Otherwise, the public servant is now unemployed, with little or no ability to challenge the unfair dismissal.

To completely remedy this unjust situation requires the political will to change these unfair laws, and that may require a change in government. In the meantime, shop stewards and members should remember that while we may have a tough time winning a release on probation, we can and should grieve unreasonable extensions of probation, and we can and should grieve the failure to complete Employee Performance Reviews (Article 17.11).

These are just a few of the themes we’ve seen emerging over the last several months. Health & Safety concerns have also brought plenty of inquiries and concerns from YEU members.

Remember ­ the union can often do something to help, even if it feels like you have no power to change your situation or your supervisor’s mind. We can only help solve the problems we know about, so please, reach out. Connect with your Steward, phone us at 667­2331 ext. 1001, email bhuston@yeu.ca or use our online intake form for at yeu.ca/intake.

We’re stronger, together.

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tatistics show that rates of violence against women in the Yukon are three times higher than the national average. Globally, there has been a marked spike in incidents of domestic vio­ lence since the onset of the pandemic. The impacts of family violence are far­reaching, and can affect children’s emotional development, mental health and well­being throughout their lives.

Strong Moms, Safe Kids is a group program for moth­ ers who’ve experienced domestic violence and chil­ dren who have witnessed abuse in their homes. The program is designed to provide mothers with the knowledge and skills to help children heal from the experience of witnessing abuse.

Due to the stressful nature of living in an abusive environment, mothers may experience difficulty being present and responsive to their children's needs. Strong Moms, Safe Kids helps mothers understand trauma from a child's perspective and provides them with tools to support their children through the healing process.

Strong Moms, Safe Kids also focuses on stress reduc­ tion for moms and kids. Moms will learn how wit­ nessing abuse impacts children at varying levels of development. Created as a supportive resource for moms, the focus is on the connection and bond between mothers and their children.

Sharon Wade learned about the child witness pro­ gram while working for a non­profit agency in

Kitchener, Ontario in 2012. She contacted the agency last year and asked if they would be willing to train her and provide a curriculum so she could offer Strong Moms, Safe Kids in the Yukon. Wade and pro­ gram co­facilitator Melissa Sauve­Dupont are both registered Psychotherapists working at Nimco and Associates.

Women who are not currently living with the abusive partner, and who have children aged 4 and older are welcome to register. The program is free of charge and will be run on Tuesday evenings from 5:30pm to 7:30pm for five weeks from October 13th to November 10th. Sessions take place at Skookum Jim's Friendship Centre; dinner will be provided, and transportation can be arranged as needed. To learn more and to register, please contact Nimco and Associates at 867­668­4058

Strong Moms, Safe Kids is funded through the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre and the Crime Prevention and Victims Services Trust Fund.

Victims of domestic violence can find help at Victim Services. Call 1­800­661­0408 extension 8500, or email victim.services@gov.yk.ca.

SOLIDARITY in ACTION GUATEMALA 2020 In early March of 2020, PSAC young workers travelled to the Highlands of Guatemala, taking part in the 13th Education­In­Action delegation. This is an annual project led by PSAC’s Social Justice Fund in collaboration with the solidarity organization Education In Action. Yukon activist Frédérique Conradi was part of the delegation. Here’s an excerpt from her story.

Read more at http://psacunion.ca/education­action­2020­ lessons­indigenous­rights

have to eke out an existence on less than one­sixth of the land, most of it concentrated in Indigenous villages whose inhabitants often suffer from malnutrition.

Food Sovereignty Initiatives What stood out to me throughout this delegation was the resilience and creativity displayed by the Indigenous groups in their fight. Food sovereignty initiatives were part of the resiliency efforts we got to discover. Food sovereignty, or “the right of people to determine their own food and agricultural systems and their right to pro­ duce and consume healthy and culturally appropriate food” *(Via Campesina, 2020, pp.15) is a radical way to counteract the larger agricultural systems that persecute many and lead to food insecurity.

Several of CCDA’s programs, paired with opportunities for feminist education have empowered women and secured their place in the labour force while respecting the land and culture. Additionally, the coffee project, Café Justicia, trains farmers in organic farming. The coffee initiative also pays workers 15% higher wages than most other compa­ nies while offering training and support on sustainable approaches such as vermicomposting.

Solidarity with Guatemalans

During a recent PSAC Social Justice Fund/Education in Action delegation to Guatemala, we met with several Indigenous­led resistance movements that outlined the injustices facing Guatemalan workers. It was inspiring to witness who the PSAC stands in solidarity with and to learn from the actions they have taken to fight back.

Land defenders

Although their resilience is admirable, we should hope for a world where Indigenous communities do not have to struggle against profit­seeking companies. Nutrition and food are rights and should not be considered commodi­ ties. We can also have an impact on their fight for land rights. Many of the foods we buy in Canada can be traced to poor labour practices in Guatemala, at home, and around the world. By doing research on the foods we buy and supporting grassroots projects and organizations like the ones we do with the PSAC SJF we can also help reduce injustices. The delegation to Guatemala was an eye­open­ er that made clear the impact multinational corporations have on the land as well the important effects of food sovereignty initiatives here and abroad.

Land was at the core of many discussions. We first met with Festivales Solidarios, a grass­root organization advo­ cating for the release of political prisoners, most often land defenders. We met with the Xinka Parliament, the first Indigenous parliament in the country, defending their land from Canadian mining interests for nearly 10 years.

Their land advocacy has met with violence by companies who call Canada their home.

Land was always the issue. The land in Guatemala is con­ trolled by corporations that seek profit over sustainability, health, and security. Guatemala has the highest concen­ tration of land ownership in the world, where 2.5 % of the large landowners control two­thirds of the richest agricul­ tural land, while small farmers, the majority Indigenous,

by Frédérique Conradi Frédérique is a member of the Yukon Employees Union (YEU), Local Y018. She also serves as Young Workers’ Director on the YEU Executive.

acism in Canada is alive and thriving, our differences magnified in an environment of seething animosity between the left and the right. If you don’t see racism, never saw it and can’t believe it exists, chances are your skin colour has never been a barrier to your safety or success.

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Many Canadians dislike the term white privilege and are angered when they’re called white in the context of a discussion of racism. If you believe you are without prejudice, being called white or privileged might feel like you are being called a racist, a bigot.

The privilege of being white is that the colour of your skin is not a pre-existing condition excluding you from access and opportunity.

In Nova Scotia, the treaty rights of the Mi'kmaq are being challenged by Acadian commercial fish harvesters coming from communities around southwestern Nova Scotia. These non-indigenous harvesters are trying to stop indigenous fishers from dropping their lobster traps out of season, despite the treaty rights guaranteeing the Mi'kmaq the right to catch and sell lobsters and manage their fishery.

Joyce Echaquanan used her phone to record the insults and racial slurs of nursing staff as she lay dying in a Quebec hospital on September 28. The Atikamekw mother of 7 went to hospital with a stomachache and died two days later, her cries of distress and calls for help met with degrading comments.

So if you believe racism is not really a problem Canada, or that people need to just get over whatever injustices their ancestors faced, maybe you have some work to do and need to examine that belief. Because whatever happened in the past is still being felt today, and mistakes of the past have contributed enormously to the ongoing inequalities in our society.

Canada was built on land stolen from the First Peoples, and we continue to take what we want from Indigenous people today. We drive pipelines through sacred land, endanger coastlines and threaten wildlife while our leaders fail to match their actions to their promises.

We have enshrined whiteness as the default, minoritizing everyone else. White supremacy is woven into the fabric of our societal constructs even while we as individuals reject racism and white supremacy.

We Have to Talk About

RACISM in CANADA The shameful story unfolds in slow motion in our streets and on our screens. The Mi’kmaq in Nova Scotia are attacked for exercising their treaty rights. The number of Indigenous children in care today exceeds the number of kids lost to the Residential School system. Indigenous men and women face blatant discrimination in hospitals across the nation while leaders dismiss the existence of systemic racism. Our police forces deny the bigotry they are founded on even while incarceration rates of Indigenous and Black Canadians balloons disproportionately. We watch in horror as violence against Black Lives Matter activists plays out in real time while white supremacist organizations like the Proud Boys grow in numbers and confidence.

Our national union has been rocked by two high profile resignations in recent weeks, evidence that there is anti-racism work to be done in every institution and by all of us.

Individuals can change their perspectives on racism and do the work that’s required to shed unconscious bias and unlearn deeply ingrained beliefs, but it has to go further. Our organizations, unions, schools, governments, and businesses must show leadership and humility in dismantling systemic racism and making a priority of throwing out racist policies and practices.

We have a long way to go as a nation before we can say we are free from racism in Canada; It starts with each of us being willing to do the hard and uncomfortable work of facing our own internalized defaults. If we each prioritize dismantling racism in our homes, in our workplaces and our communities, there is hope.

YEU’s Anti-Racism and Equity page offers resources to watch, read and learn about the many aspects of our historical systemic racism in order to recognize our history, and help change what happens next in our country.

Please visit yeu.ca/anti_racism_and_equity

The first time I was shot at, I was ten years old.

The opening line of Justin Lemphers’ Facebook post pulls no punches.

In response to the self-soothing Canadian narrative that says racism isn’t as bad as the USA, he felt it was time to speak out.

When you start to peel back the layers of neocolonialism, you get activated.

The systems of denial that kept you from knowing, activate big feelings. Lots of us want to rush out and DO SOMETHING. “What can I do?” is an FAQ in my work.

While I won’t tell you what to do (that would be colonial) I can provide decolonizing analytical framework to apply to the things you want to do or things you witness others doing.

Looking honestly at the impact of your action alongside your intention is an important step towards not perpetuating harm. It’s too easy to say “I had good intentions” without owning up to what actually happened.

Can you think of laws or policies that claim good intention but have a negative impact?

1 2 3

In your workplace, have you witnessed good intentions that resulted in oppressive impact? Did anyone talk about it?

In your personal life, have you had hindsight about your intentions? Are you able to catch yourself now? How about friends or family members?

Included with permission from Ta7talíya Michelle Nahanee, Squamish Visit decolonizingpractices.org to order your copy of Decolonize First.

“While I realize your lived experience might not be like mine, here’s a little bit of what mine has been. And I acknowledge that my experience is different from those of indigenous people and even other people of colour, and are far less egregious than some I’ve heard”. Justin is quick to point out the irony of this anti-black racism conversation taking place on land stolen from its original inhabitants. Even so, his interactions with the RCMP support the statistics, and the accusations of systemic racism built into the organization’s foundation In his post, Justin recounted two separate occasions of being deliberately shot at when he was a child. He also recalled a chilling incident of being intentionally run off the highway while driving home from work late one night. In all cases the RCMP were called but didn’t follow up or pursue any charges. In fact, the RCMP did not file a single report, despite witness accounts and plenty of evidence. And while these experiences are disturbing, they’re also just the few he chose to share with us.

Professionally, Justin says he has internalized self censorship as a habitual practice, unconsciously seeking to minimize the likelihood of confrontation in work and public settings. It’s pretty common to be the only brown face in a meeting or workplace, and a “brown guy” taking a stand or having a firm position is often perceived as aggression. Justin’s decision to get involved in the nion grew from his belief that the power and solidarity of workers can have a profound impact on social change. His activism in the Union led to a term as president of the Yukon Federation of Labour and a campaign as the NDP Candidate in the last federal election.

Justin is hopeful that this highly charged moment can lead to real change if we find the courage to face our unconscious bias and have some difficult conversations. We can challenge our own beliefs, and recognize when those assumptions have been wrong. Don’t plan on getting it right or being the perfect ally, and don’t let the fear of getting it wrong stop you from making the effort. These are deep, historical cultural issues and we won’t fix them overnight.

They say it takes just as long to make your way out of the woods as it took you to make your way in. But, he says, we won’t start turning around and finding our way out until we’re all invested in making that our goal.

From a conversation between Justin Lemphers and Deborah Turner-Davis.

YEU Component Leadership

Visiting the YEU Hall for an AGM, to sign a form, or to attend training? Please be sure to sign in at the rear door. We are doing everything possible to keep our staff and members safe in our space. All meet­ ings with Labour Relations Advisors and members are being conducted downstairs, and we encourage you to call or text your LRA when you arrive.

Someone will come down & let you in.

Coming Events & Training Virtual Shop Steward Round Table ­ Strategies for Workplace Problems October 21, 9am ­ 10:30 am. Zoom meeting. RSVP at yeu.ca/events

Steve Geick, President

AGM ­ Yukon Indigenous Peoples’ Committee October 28, 5:15 pm. Online session; RSVP at fayantb@psac­afpc.com AGM ­ YEU/PSAC Local Y025, Yukon Hospital Workers November 10, 6pm YEU Hall and Zoom Meeting. RSVP at yeu.ca/events Virtual Shop Steward Round Table ­ November 18, 9am ­ 10:30 am. Zoom meeting. RSVP at yeu.ca/events Shop Steward Orientation November 25 & 26. YEU Hall ­ in person training. RSVP @ yeu.ca/events

Shop Stewards needed in the following YG Departments:

Tony Thomas, Vice President Communities

• Economic Development • Education • Environment • Finance • Tourism & Culture YEU Shop Stewards help to build union solidarity and promote fairness at

work. Talk with your co­ workers to decide who would make a great repre­ sentative, then contact your Local President Richard Wagner to get start­ ed at richardwagner311@gmail.com visit yeu.ca/locals

YEU STAFF CONTACTS

Paul Johnston, Vice President

David Anderson, Labour Relations Advisor; danderson@yeu.ca Jim Crowell, Labour Relations Advisor; jcrowell@yeu.ca Roseanne Elias, Membership Services Officer; relias@yeu.ca Beckie Huston, Intake Officer; bhuston@yeu.ca Susan Koser, Labour Relations Advisor; skoser@yeu.ca Tammy Olsen, Financial Officer; tolsen@yeu.ca Lynne Pajot, Education Officer; lpajot@yeu.ca Haley Philipsen, Executive Assistant; hphilipsen@yeu.ca Dan Robinson, Labour Relations Advisor; drobinson@yeu.ca Deborah Turner-Davis, Communications; dturner-davis@yeu.ca Michelle Parsons, Executive Director; mparsons@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.

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YEU NEWS October 2020