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YTA, Yukon government reach agreement on hiring dispute out of court

YTA’s petition was set to be heard March 25 but was called off after the parties reached an agreement
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The Yukon Teachers’ Association and Yukon government have reached an agreement in a legal dispute over lay-offs and hiring practices outside of court. (Crystal Schick/Yukon News)

The Yukon Teachers’ Association (YTA) and the Yukon government have reached an out-of-court agreement in a legal tussle over hiring practices.

The YTA filed a petition to the Yukon Supreme Court earlier this month, alleging that the Yukon government was planning on opening up teaching positions without offering them to recently-laid-off teachers first.

Under the YTA’s current collective agreement with the government, laid-off members are to be given priority for new positions for up to two years after losing their jobs.

The petition was set to be heard the afternoon of March 25, but the matter was set aside.

YTA president Sue Ross said in an email March 26 that the union had reached an agreement with the Yukon government, but noted that it “stands for the 2020 hiring season only.”

She confirmed that laid-off teachers will be given priority for new positions but declined to elaborate on other details of the agreement, explaining that she wanted to share the information with the YTA’s membership first.

Department of Education spokesperson Kyle Nightingale also confirmed an agreement was reached.

“We will continue to work together with the Yukon Teachers’ Association to support fair, transparent and consistent hiring practices that ensure teachers are in the best position to support student learning and success at school,” he wrote in an email.

Contact Jackie Hong at jackie.hong@yukon-news.com