UNA proposes memorandum of agreement with AHS to address all key concerns raised in MacKinnon and Ernst & Young reports

United Nurses of Alberta today tabled a comprehensive proposed memorandum of agreement addressing all key concerns identified in bargaining for a new collective agreement with Alberta Health Services.

After negotiating in January and February with little progress toward a new Provincial Collective Agreement, UNA tabled the memorandum of agreement during bargaining today. UNA is awaiting a response from Alberta Health Services. 

Starting from the understanding both parties desire to ensure continuation of high-quality, sustainable and transparent public health care in Alberta, UNA’s proposal addresses all major concerns identified by the MacKinnon Report on Alberta’s Finances and the Ernst & Young consulting report on the operations of Alberta Health Services in a way consistent with the government’s bargaining mandate to the employer and fairness to UNA’s members.

The UNA proposal deals with overtime pay, the use of part-time employees, nurse-patient ratios, salaries, and recruitment, retention and vacancy management.

“Lengthy, adversarial negotiations, let alone job actions, are not in the interest of nurses, health care employers, the government or the people of Alberta,” said UNA Labour Relations Director David Harrigan.

“The memorandum of agreement tabled today provides a way to accommodate both the stated concerns of the government and Alberta Health Services and to treat Alberta’s nurses fairly,” he said.

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