It appears as if approximately 500 Yukon government and public sector workers could be off the job today.

The government’s vaccine mandate took effect this morning.

About nine per cent of the government’s workers haven’t filed formal attestations outlining their vaccinated status.

Thirty to 35 people have applied for exemptions, and those files were still being worked on.

That was the word Tuesday from John Streicker, the minister responsible for the Public Service Commission, during question period in the legislature.

Those numbers, he noted, were in flux, and workers had until midnight Tuesday to file their paperwork. He hoped to have a final figure early this afternoon.

At this morning’s weekly COVID-19 briefing, Premier Sandy Silver had no specific numbers on workers absenteeism, but reported 94 per cent of YG employees have received their first vaccine dose.

Two per cent of those who have not returned their paperwork are full-time, he said, with most unattested employees being auxiliary or on-call.

The government issued a new release last evening.

“Based on recommendations from the Yukon’s acting chief medical officer of health, the Government of Yukon is requiring all public servants, volunteers and contractors to have their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of today. This includes teachers, health care professionals employed by the Government of Yukon and other public servants,” the release says.

“Employees are legally required to complete an attestation for their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine by midnight today or they will be placed on leave without pay starting tomorrow, Dec. 1.

“This vaccine requirement for employment with the Government of Yukon will be in effect until general public health concerns are reduced to a level where workplaces can operate without COVID-19 restrictions, as advised by the acting chief medical officer of health.”

Those numbers concerned members of the Yukon Party, particularly MLA Stacey Hassard. He talked about the potential impact on smaller communities such as Ross River, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the Yukon.

Hassard suggested that emergency medical services, home care and education will to be disproportionately affected by the government mandate.

He spent part of question period grilling the government on how it plans to handle the staff losses, as did Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon. Both warned of service disruptions in the communities.

Streicker told both MLAs there is a “business continuity” plan in effect to deal with any shortages.

He compared the situation to the early 2020 beginning of the pandemic, when employees were working from home or simply not working amid fears of the COVID-19 virus.

“We have some experience with this now,” he said.

Streicker also mentioned there is extra medevac assistance and a plane available for Ross River. Hassard wasn’t too impressed with that.

“Medevac planes are not going to be the answer in Ross River if there are not EMS workers,” he said. “It’s not an if (that will happen), it’s definite.”

The Yukon Employees’ Union (YEU) isn’t impressed with the mandate situation, either.

In a statement that went public early Tuesday afternoon, the YEU stated, “Like most unions in North America, Yukon Employees’ Union supports vaccinations as an important tool to foster workplace safety.

“As an occupational health and safety measure, vaccination is our best choice. And while we support the goals of a mandate, we have serious reservations and concerns that have not been addressed in any meaningful way by Yukon government,” the statement said.

“YEU is categorically opposed to the idea that any worker should be placed on unpaid leave should they refuse to comply with the new terms and conditions of employment.”

The YEU pointed to a clause of the regulation that states that any YG worker who enters a workplace on or after Dec. 1 while on administrative (leave without pay) is subject to a summary conviction and will be fined $500.

“Dedicated employees should not be put on administrative leave without pay as the consequence of a policy finalized in haste, and without consultation. We maintain that YG has failed its workers with this mandate.”

The union warned, “Many valuable Yukon workers will be off the job, either because they have not chosen to be vaccinated or because they have opted out of the formal attestation process.

“It’s clear that many of the public services we rely on will be impacted – some catastrophically, while experienced and dedicated public servants are forced to choose compliance or a wage.”

In the release, YEU president Steve Geick said the timing of the government’s decision to reinstate the state of emergency was “not benign.

“The employer policy edict is more difficult for unions or individuals to successfully challenge with the added weight of the Public Health and Safety Act and CEMA .

“The few unions that have attempted to file injunctions or cease and desist orders have so far been unsuccessful in the courts.

“Jurisprudence is leaning toward courts upholding the mandates as reasonable measures under the circumstances, and we continue to monitor the evolving legal situation.”

Both the YEU and the Yukon Teachers’ Association “have consistently advocated for alternatives to placing workers on leave without pay, but our demands have been rejected,” the YEU said.

“Our support of a vaccinated workforce does not extend to support of this government’s handling of this process. And although remote work has proven successful throughout the pandemic, it’s no longer being considered as an option for unvaccinated workers.”

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