The territorial government has cancelled a request for proposals (RFP) for surveying work following Yukon Employees Union (YEU) concerns over the layoffs of four surveyors.

Ben Yu Schott is a spokesperson for the Department of Community Services.

After learning of the YEU's concerns over the RFP, he told the Star early this afternoon, the government has cancelled it.

As well, a meeting of government and union officials is being arranged to discuss the matter as soon as possible.

As Yu Schott said, the government takes the concerns of its employees seriously and wants to have a strong relationship with them and the union.

The YEU filed two grievances last week with the Public Service Commission over the layoffs.

The layoffs come at the same time the government had put out the RFP for surveying in the Whistle Bend subdivision.

YEU president Steve Geick said in an interview this morning, prior to the cancellation of the RFP, that after obtaining a number of documents through an access to information request, the union filed the two grievances.

The issues arose following layoff notices going out to the four surveyors who were seasonal auxiliary staff for the government.

As Geick explained, the four surveyors contacted the union after they received their notices in January stating they wouldn't be recalled for the 2014 construction season.

The layoffs took effect March 28, and the surveyors were informed their positions had been abolished due to a shortage of work.

For at least the last 10 years, he said, they have been called back each season, usually starting work in May.

When the union contacted the territory's Public Service Commission on the matter, it was advised "categorically that the government had no intention to contract out this work in the future.”

As the union said in a statement Friday, "In fact, we were promised that should a future need arise for this work, anticipated to occur only in rare circumstances, then the work would likely result in potential casual hires.”

The surveyors were offered priority callback status that would make them the first to be hired should any work become available, though the government declined to extend that priority status beyond the 2014 season.

On April 15, the RFP was issued by the government looking for surveying services for phases 1, 2 and possibly 3 in Whistle Bend, with the work set to happen from May 12 to Nov. 15. The RFP was to close May 7.

That RFP was put out despite the union being told that there was no surveying work for staff this season.

"You can't put it together and get it out in a month,” Geick said, referring to the correspondence the union has had with the Public Service Commission about there being no work this season.

Geick also took issue with the RFP, stating the Yukon Fair Wage Schedule – which guarantees set wages for certain jobs that are part of a government contract – wouldn't apply for this contract.

"It should be standard across the board,” he said.

Geick would not go into detail on the documents he obtained through access to information legislation, noting they are part of the grievances filed.

He said the documentation clearly shows private interests lobbied the territory for survey work that was outlined in the RFP and the move was made to privatize the surveying jobs.

"It is clear the Government of Yukon and the Department of Community Services have chosen to disregard its contractual obligation as outlined in article 7.01.1 of the current collective agreement which states that ‘no employee shall lose their job as a result of work being contracted out',” the union said in Friday's statement.

The union demanded the Public Service Commission "immediately reinstate the employment of these four workers and act immediately to cancel (the surveying contract).”

Geick said this morning the grievances are now in the hands of the Public Service Commissioner to make a ruling.

If the ruling isn't seen as satisfactory, there is an option to take it to an arbitrator, Geick said.