Yukon Employees' Union placed under trusteeship by parent union

Yukon Employees' Union placed under trusteeship by parent union

Public Service Alliance has taken over leadership of the union as of last week, citing 'governance issues'

The Public Service Alliance of Canada has placed the Yukon Employees' Union (YEU) under trusteeship, and announced all of YEU's elected officers have vacated their positions.

In an email circulated to YEU members late last week, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) said the Yukon union's bylaws are now suspended and the president, vice-president and directors are no longer in their positions.

The email to YEU members said the move comes in order to preserve stability and protect their rights while “governance issues” are addressed.

Officials from PSAC declined an interview with CBC News.

Lisa Vollans-Leduc, who had been serving as YEU vice president, said PSAC "removed us."

“No one voluntarily stepped down, to my knowledge,” Vollans-Leduc said.

YEU, the territory's largest public sector union, represents more than 5,000 workers. It was first placed under administration by its parent union back in March, though PSAC did not provide any details at the time about what prompted that move.

The email to members last week said the newly-appointed trustee will oversee YEU operations and work alongside the administrator in reporting to PSAC's national board of directors.

Speaking to CBC News in March, YEU's then-president Justin Lemphers said there was an important distinction between administration and trusteeship — and that PSAC had at that time decided against trusteeship for the Yukon union.

“Administration keeps the executive in place – that’s why I can be here today to speak on behalf of the union. Trusteeship removes the executive,” Lemphers said.

Vollans-Leduc said this week that the YEU's executive team had been committed to working through the administration and awaited more direct training. They said that the news it would be concluding after five months came as a surprise.

“I felt that I was doing the work that I was being asked to do and getting input, and there were just very few meetings with all of us,” Vollans-Leduc said. “I’m not privy to all the information that led to the decision, but to me, it didn’t necessarily have to result in the nuclear option of trusteeship.”

Vollans-Leduc said members of the executive learned on July 30 that trusteeship was being considered, and held an emergency meeting on Aug. 3 to discuss a motion from the executive team expressing their opposition. According to Vollans-Leduc, everyone but Lemphers voted in favour.

Despite the letter sent to the PSAC’s national board of directors as a result, the trusteeship went ahead just days later.

CBC News tried to contact Lemphers by email, receiving an automated response saying that as of Aug. 7 he was "on an extended leave and this email is not being monitored.”

All other YEU staff remain in their jobs and membership services are expected to continue as normal, according to PSAC.

A virtual townhall meeting for members will be held on Tuesday to discuss the situation. A notice about the meeting say members will "have an opportunity to ask your trustee and administrator questions and share your ideas about how YEU can succeed."

Caitrin Pilkington is a reporter with CBC North in Whitehorse. She previously worked for Cabin Radio in Yellowknife. She can be reached at caitrin.pilkington@cbc.ca.