Bethany Sylvan Lake nurses vote to join UNA

Registered Nurses working at the Bethany Care Society facility in the central Alberta community of Sylvan Lake have become the latest members of United Nurses of Alberta. The 10 RNs employed at the long-term care centre voted to join UNA on Oct. 24, 2014.

UNA is in the process of arranging dates to bargain with Bethany Care Society. The union already represents nurses employed by the Bethany Care Society at Bethany – Cochrane, Bethany Care Centre in Calgary and Bethany Collegeside in Red Deer.

UNA has filed an unfair labour practice complaint against Bethany Care Society with the Labour Relations Board in regards to a letter circulated by the employer to employees in advance of the Oct. 24 vote. UNA does not expect the complaint to delay negotiations.

UNA provides a wide range of services to its members. A key role is negotiating the excellent collective agreements that regulate salaries, benefits, schedules and working conditions of members. UNA also administers its agreements to resolve disputes, improve working conditions and protect nurses’ workplace rights.

United Nurses of Alberta is the union for nearly 30,000 Registered Nurses, Registered Psychiatric Nurses and allied workers in Alberta.