Yukon Employees' Union (YEU) president Laurie Butterworth believes the tentative collective agreement hammered out this week between the government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada will be acceptable to the YEU's 4,000 members.

"I think the (negotiating) team is confident, and they're ... happy with what they were able to achieve,” Butterworth told the Star this morning. Public Service Commissioner Pat Daws shared Butterworth's assessment.

"I think it's fair to say both parties are very pleased we've reached an agreement and both sides will be recommending the ratification of the package,” said Daws.

While no details of the settlement can be released until it is ratified, Butterworth said the deal comes with better benefits.

The Yukon Teachers' Association (YTA) opted in January for binding arbitration to settle its collective agreement – stalled over wage demands.

Butterworth acknowledged the tone was set for the YEU's negotiations with an employer not particularly flush with cash.

"At the table, there was a pinch on the money, and you knew it, and I think that's what the teachers ran into,” said Butterworth.

"I didn't want to lead anybody astray and say we wanted to have a huge increase, and I think the membership understood ... the expectations were there that we were not going to achieve a three, three and three (per cent salary increase over three years) collective agreement.”

Talks between the YTA and the Public Service Commission reached an impasse last September when the government announced the two sides "were not in the same settlement zones.”

At the time, the YTA was seeking a nine per cent wage hike over three years.

Butterworth said the YEU will hold meetings and visit all the Yukon communities where members are employed beginning in May, and expects a ratification decision will be made by the middle of that month.