Photo: Shane Clausing

By Shane Clausing

new deal for nurses

Minister Toews pleased to see new deal reached between UNA & AHS

Jan 28, 2022 | 1:59 PM

Alberta’s Finance Minister and Grande Prairie-Wapiti MLA Travis Toews says he is happy to see a new agreement is in place between the United Nurses of Alberta and Alberta Health Services, Covenant Health and two smaller employers.

Negotiations on the new deal began in early 2020 before the pandemic hit. After two years of emotions and a lot of ups and downs, the two sides announced they had come to an agreement on January 27.

“This deal is going to bring stability to our healthcare system at a time when we need stability,” said Minister Toews in conversation with EverythingGP. “I believe it’s a deal that pays nurses well and appropriately, and it’s also a deal that respects Alberta taxpayers.”

The new deal affects over 30,000 registered nurses and psychiatric nurses who play a critical role in the healthcare system.

In the new agreement, nurses can expect to see a 4.25 per cent increase over four years and $5 million being set aside to help recruit and retain nurses in rural and remote areas.

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Toews says this deal also helps meet the province’s current goals.

“We wanted to and need to thoughtfully align our public sector broadly, so we’re not out of step with other provinces. Alberta can no longer be an outlier in the way we spend in this province. That informed our public sector mandate and the deal we have with nurses is compliant with that goal.”

Toews also wanted to thank nurses for their hard work over the last two years throughout the pandemic.

“Many of them have worked over very stressful conditions over the last 18 months and I just wanted to express my appreciation for their sacrifice.”

The full details of the deal can be found here.