Yukon NDP calls on Liberals to mend fences with health-care unions

October 8, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Whitehorse, YT — The Yukon NDP is calling on the Liberal government to repair its broken relationships with Yukon health-care workers in the lead up to the territory’s new health authority.

NDP Leader Kate White said on Tuesday, Oct. 8, that she was “deeply disappointed” that the Liberals had consistently ignored healthcare concerns raised by Yukon Employees’ Union (YEU) and Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) representatives on the Yukon Government’s Health and Human Resources Steering Committee.

“YEU and PIPSC came to the table ready to share ideas from frontline health-care workers about how to make public healthcare better and more equitable for Yukoners,” White continued.

Instead, union representatives felt so alienated, disregarded, and overlooked by Health Minister Tracy McPhee that YEU and PIPSC decided to leave the committee effective Monday.

“The unions are bringing forward their concerns through every avenue imaginable.

“It’s time for the Liberals to listen to frontline health-care workers, especially now that the Liberals are moving toward a new health authority that can only be built with the support of health-care workers,” White noted.

“The Liberals had every opportunity to work with organized labour on the steering committee, but they chose to ignore valuable input from the health-care workers who serve Yukoners. Our health-care workers deserve better, and so do Yukoners.”

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