Photo: United Nurses of Alberta

By Canadian Press

United Nurses of Alberta

UCP contract proposal has created “kind of a powder keg”: UNA head

Feb 10, 2020 | 6:25 AM

EDMONTON – The head of the United Nurses of Alberta says she has not seen such regressive contract demands from the province since the strike year of 1988.

Heather Smith says some nurses have been asking her about the possibility of hitting the picket line, but says she hopes it doesn’t come to that.

Smith says nevertheless, the current contract proposal coupled with a report urging sweeping changes to how nurses are paid and deployed has created in her words, “kind of a powder keg.”

The province is pitching four years of pay freezes along with reductions in staffing, benefits and other changes in talks with Alberta’s 29-thousand registered nurses.

The nurses have proposed two per cent pay increases in each of the first two years.

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On top of that a benchmark report released last week says Alberta nurses are paid more than comparable provinces.

It also says staffing levels are comparably higher, and that lower-skilled staff could be better used in some situations.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro says a lot of work needs to be done but is confident a deal can be struck that is in the best interests of patients.

(The Canadian Press)