Updated March 8, 2010
UNAs 2010 Negotiations Committee: Front row (left to right) Wanda Zimmerman (Co-Chair) David Harrigan (Director of Labour Relations), Heather Smith (President), Judy Brandley (Co-Chair). Standing: Tanice Olson, Steven Johnson, John Terry, Jeannine Arbour (LRO staff), BettyAnn Emery, Gail Pederson, Sheila Dorscheidt, Malcolm Weisgerber, Darlene Wallace
Update from UNA UNA contacts at bottom
Nurses' provincial contract negotiations open on International Women's Day, Monday, March 8
United Nurses of Alberta exchanged contract proposals with Alberta Health Services on Monday, March 8.
UNA released a summary of the nurses' key proposals on its website on Monday.
The contract negotiations cover nearly 24,000 nursing positions, including all those in Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health.
UNA contracts with several Long-term care providers also expire on March 31, 2010 and UNA expects to be negotiating soon with these Employers as well.
2007 negotiations give nurses 5%
The last provincial round of negotiations took place in 2007, and settled with a 5% salary increase for each year of a three-year agreement. At the time Alberta Health Regions and UNA worked hard on retention and recruitment issues to encourage nurses to stay in the workforce, and to attract more nurses. One incentive was an additional 2% increase for nurses registered for 20 years or more.
Nurses believe in free collective bargaining
United Nurses of Alberta takes the position that the members will control their own destiny and actions in negotiations. United Nurses of Alberta members have repeatedly voted to maintain a standing policy to reject compulsory arbitration since the provincial government made strikes by nurses illegal in 1983.
The policy is: UNA is opposed to any compulsory arbitration legislation. Regardless of any legislation, UNA members alone, and not the government or any other body, will decide when this Union will strike and when it will not.
"Nurses are ALWAYS going on strike"
Nurses in Alberta have not taken significant job action since the illegal, province-wide strike in January of 1988. In that cold month, nurses were on the picket-line for 19 days, and faced fines of nearly $450,000, before reaching a settlement on February 12. Other provincial strikes by hospital nurses took place in 1977, 1980 and 1982.
Whoís who in UNA Negotiations
UNA's 13-person team sits at the face-to-face negotiating table. UNA elects two representatives in each of five regional districts to the team. In addition to these representatives UNA also has:
Heather Smith, President of United Nurses of Alberta, main public spokesperson David Harrigan, UNA's Director of Labour Relations, and bargaining spokesperson. One Labour Relations Officer.
How to find out more
Normally UNA will provide public statements, and interviews at important junctures in negotiations when anything happens. Normally, UNA puts a priority on negotiations, allowing bargaining to take place directly at the table.
Contacts at UNA Provincial Office 780 425-1025
President Heather Smith Communications Officer Keith Wiley Communications Officer Dave Cournoyer
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Contacts at UNA Provincial Office 780 425-1025
President Heather Smith Communications Officer Keith Wiley Communications Officer Dave Cournoyer
UNA Members: Get the latest updates on Negs!
Regular updates will be posted on the website. These will be public messages, that cannot contain confidential details.
On your email: UNA's e-UPDATE
UNA Members can also send in their email address to go on the list for UNA's e-UPDATE which will go out when important news and information needs to be sent to members.
UNANet: The Inside Info
The quickest and most thorough information distribution and discussion on Provincial Negotiations all takes place on UNA's own email and conferencing system, UNANet. All members can sign up for free on UNANet.
Through your Local
All Local Executive members get regular updates on Negotiations too. If electronic information is not for you, contact one of the members of your Local Executive to find out where Negotiations are at. |
