For Immediate Release
September 29, 2003
Health Regions attempting to force
dangerous contract on nurses
UNA disappointed Regions refusing to continue negotiations
United Nurses of Alberta President Heather Smith has expressed dismay today that Alberta’s Health Regions are refusing to continue with negotiations.
“The Health Regions seem to believe they can force a dangerous contract on nurses through arbitration,” she said today in response to the Health Regions refusal to set further dates for talks.
The Health Regions have refused to meet again, although UNA has requested further meetings to clarify outstanding questions on the Regions’ proposals. UNA is considering options including a complaint to the Labour Relations Board about failure to negotiate.
“The fact that 98.8% of the nurses voting rejected their contract plan should give them a hint that they have gone down the wrong road. Their plan is not a good one for nurses, for safe patient care or for quality care in our health system. The Regions should return to the table with a willingness to negotiate a deal that is acceptable to their nurses.”
The Health Regions themselves have said that arbitration does not produce as good a result as free collective bargaining.
“The Regions are playing fast and loose with staff morale and with the shortage of nurses in this province by relying on arbitration to try to impose their contract plan,” Heather Smith said.
“We would hope they see the value of returning to the table and working with nurses to successfully negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement.”
The UNA negotiating team brought forward extensive new proposals on September 18.
“These proposals address the major issues the Health Employers say they need to have dealt with, like increased flexibility for staffing,” Heather Smith said. “But nurses cannot agree to a plan that threatens safe care or quality in our system.”
The United Nurses of Alberta provincial negotiating committee will be seeking further direction from UNA nurses at the organization’s annual general meeting on October 7, 8 and 9 in Edmonton.
“We would like to have good news about progress for nurses at our AGM,” Heather Smith said.
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For more information: Heather Smith, President (780) 940-9974
David Harrigan, Chief Negotiator 425-1025
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