Email correspondence obtained by the News indicates two unions were initially excluded from the Yukon’s Health Human Resources Steering Committee, which is geared to getting and keeping health-care workers in the territory.
The March 23 email from Tiffany Boyd, former territorial deputy minister of health and current chief executive officer for the Yukon Hospital Corporation, as of Oct. 14, indicates that at an initial kick-off meeting on March 10, committee members identified that including unions on the committee would be critical.
A spokesperson for the hospital corporation recently told the News that the Yukon Employees’ Union (YEU) and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada have been on the committee since it began, but Boyd’s email implies the unions were added to the committee after the first meeting.
The News has reached out to Boyd and the hospital corporation to explain the discrepancy. Boyd wasn't available for interview.
A joint email statement from the hospital corporation and the territorial Health and Social Services department confirmed that the committee's first meeting, which discussed the project charter, terms of reference, prospective members, scope of work, required metrics and more, didn't include the unions. At that meeting, it was identified that unions would be critical as partners.
Thus, the unions were called up and attended the second meeting, per the statement. Feedback was requested on the charter and terms of reference, which were later effectively approved by members, including the unions. Those documents can be reviewed at the request of any member.
The unions have quit the committee, citing a lack of proper consideration and meaningful contribution.
YEU president Justin Lemphers wonders if labour input is so important, then why weren’t the unions invited to the table off the hop.
Lemphers wants the union’s role and expectations on the committee to be defined.
Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee, who accused the unions of bargaining at the committee table, said the door remains open for the unions to return.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
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