Hay River’s health authority will merge into the territorial public service in a year’s time after an agreement was reached on how staff make the switch.
Unlike most of the NWT, the town kept its own health authority when others were amalgamated a decade ago.
Adding Hay River belatedly to that amalgamation has been floated for years by advocates who say it will lead to better and more efficient patient service.
Last month, however, employees at the town’s health authority – HRHSSA – voted down a proposal that would have completed the merger.
In news releases on Thursday afternoon, the GNWT and Union of Northern Workers said an agreement had now been ratified.
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The existing HRHSSA collective agreement – which expired last month – will now remain in place until March 31, 2027. At that point, HRHSSA’s unionized staff will become part of the UNW’s collective agreement with the GNWT.
“The migration will not change workers’ positions, duties, schedules, reporting relationships, pay, leave, or other working conditions; nor will any jobs be lost,” the union stated. “Hay River residents will not experience any interruptions or changes to services.”
Gayla Thunstrom, the UNW’s president, said members had “wanted this for a very long time.”
In a statement, the territorial government said “all parties will work together over the coming year to ensure that this transition is straightforward and stable for employees and residents, so that health and social services in Hay River will continue without interruption.”
The Tłı̨chǫ Community Services Agency is the only other health authority to have remained separate from the territorial body after 2016, when most regional authorities amalgamated. There’s currently no suggestion that TCSA’s arrangement will change.
