Yukon union calls out gov't for fumbling bonus payments to nurses

Bonus payments for nurses employed by the territorial government are mired in delays, according to the Yukon Employees Union (YEU), which says the problem could play into a larger labour dispute with the government.

In December, the union and the Yukon government struck a $6-million agreement to offer signing and retention bonuses to nurses during nation-wide health-care staffing shortages.

Union President Steve Geick told CBC News the government's failure to promptly issue those bonuses risks overriding workers' rights, and also human rights. 

He said roughly 12 nurses aren't eligible for the bonuses because they're on maternity leave, which is protected under human rights law. 

"It is an immediate bonus. Unless there's a different definition of 'immediate' that I'm unaware of, it doesn't mean months and months later because you have not planned how to implement this.

"Nobody is getting back to us," said Geick, referring to the government. "We've asked, they've said, 'We're going to look into it,' and I can't wait for that to happen, because this is harming members, daily."

A spokesperson with the Department of Health and Social Services said in an email the majority of the bonuses were transferred on Feb. 8, "and a further payout is scheduled for the next pay period. Any outliers will be handled on a case-by-case basis."

Senior Communications Advisor Claire Robson said the bonuses are intended to "recognize the vital work nurses do here in the territory and to help address turnover and high vacancy rates in community nursing."

In October, Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee said the vacancy rate in community nursing is more than 40 per cent.

Yukon Party says payments to doctors also behind schedule

Brad Cathers, Yukon Party health critic, said there's a similar problem with doctors, and delayed billing payments. Cathers says that's conflicting with recruitment and retention efforts.

According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, roughly one-fifth of Yukoners don't have access to a regular health-care provider.

"This problem has gotten much worse in the past two years, with government failing to live up to a commitment they made to process physician billings in 30 days, and many of those claims, we understand, remain unpaid for 90 days or longer," Cathers said.

"No one wants to wait months to be paid."

Cathers is calling on the government to update its doctor billing system to ensure prompt payments.

A spokesperson with the Department of Health and Social Services said in an email that staff became aware of a backlog of payments last month and "took immediate action to work to address outstanding claims."

"Moving forward, we are exploring opportunities to improve our processes."

Contract negotiations at impasse

The issue over the delayed bonuses for nurses comes at a time when the YEU and the territorial government are at loggerheads over collective bargaining. Roughly 4,000 territorial government employees represented by the union have been without a collective agreement for more than a year. Behind the impasse, the union has explained, are disputes over money.

"I don't want to strike," said Geick. "A strike doesn't serve a lot of purposes for anyone, but it's the last thing we have left as a tool when we're negotiating."

Asked whether the delay in bonuses for nurses could sow the seeds of a dispute, Geick said yes, that it's fanning members' frustrations toward the government.

He added that strike information sessions are being held with members.