For Immediate Release September 23, 2004
Long-term care Employers want to have 2nd class RNS
Nurses picketing St. Michael’s Health Centre
United Nurses of Alberta nurses are mounting an informational picket at St. Michael’s Health Centre today to let citizens know the long-term care provider continues to refuse to reach a new contract agreement.
St. Michael’s is one of the fifteen remaining long-term care facilities that have refused to negotiate a new contract. UNA has negotiated contracts for over 20,000 nurses in the province, but these Employers with fewer than 500 RNs have refused to come to terms. This group is part of the province-wide negotiations and province-wide job action by all nurses remains a possibility.
Nursing working conditions, health benefits, seniority, vision care and contract parity with the other nurses are the major issues the long-term care Employers are holding out on. The Employers have said that financing and money are not the issue.
UNA questions the commitment of these Employers to staffing with Registered nurses, so long as they are insisting on providing their nurses with 2nd class conditions.
“When people come into these places, and they put their loved ones into a home for care, they have a belief that they’re going to have proper care, and proper care includes a Registered nurse,” UNA President Heather Smith points out.
“These Employers clearly appear to be looking for a confrontation not a smooth running relationship,” she says.
“These long-term care operators are implying that these Registered nurses do not deserve the same recognition as other RNs in the province,” Heather Smith says.
UNA Informational Picket
11:30 am to 12:15 pm Thursday, September 23, 2004.
St. Michael’s Health Centre
1400 9 Avenue S, Lethbridge
30
Karen Craik UNA Secretary Treasurer will be available to comment at the picket.
Karen Craik cell: 403 510-5163
For more information: Keith Wiley, Communications Officer 780 425-1025.
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