Yukon hospital workers vote to strike if necessary
87 per cent vote in favour of strike action if no deal reached
Yukon hospital workers have given their union a strike mandate, after talks between the union and the Yukon Hospital Corporation stalled.
The Yukon Employees' Union (YEU) says strike vote meetings were held last week in Whitehorse, Watson Lake and Dawson City.
While the union did not say how many employees cast ballots, it said turnout at the meetings was "extraordinarily high" and 87 per cent voted in favour of a strike if necessary. No deadline has been set.
Staff involved in the talks include administrative, custodial and security workers, as well as laboratory technologists and pharmacy technicians at hospitals in the three communities.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents the hospital workers, is now asking the Yukon Hospital Corporation to resume negotiations.
Earlier talks involving a government-appointed conciliator reached an impasse, the union said.
The union says pensions are a key issue.
The last four year contract between the employees and the hospital corporation expired in August.