UNA ‘extremely concerned’ by AHS plan to cut use of overtime and agency staffing by 10%

United Nurses of Alberta is extremely concerned by a memorandum from Alberta Health Services acting Chief Financial Officer Michael Lam instructing the province-wide health care agency’s senior leaders to reduce the use of overtime and agency staffing by “at least 10 per cent.”
 
In a letter sent today to AHS Labour Relations Executive Director Leland McEwan, UNA Labour Relations Director David Harrigan urged AHS to “recognize the current delicate situation that exists in health care.”
 
Lam’s instruction on cost-management strategies, Harrigan warned McEwan, “is tantamount to lighting a match in a powder keg.”
 
“The impact of such an inflammatory policy will be more burn-out and sick time among front-line staff and will undermine efforts to retain and recruit front-line health care employees,” Harrigan wrote. “The reaction of front-line nurses represented by UNA and members of other unions is bound to be extremely harsh.”
 
“We would hope AHS does not intend to pursue policies that are certain to have a serious impact on front-line service delivery, patient safety and labour relations,” Harrigan told McEwan in the letter.
 
In Lam’s memorandum, a copy of which was obtained by UNA, Lam informs AHS senior leaders that the health care agency is now “forecasting an operating deficit for the 2023/24 fiscal year.
 
“This is largely due to increased vacancies and unplanned absences (e.g., sick leave) both of which result in increased costs and overtime,” the memo continues. “Action is required to continue to meet our high standard of care and realize a balanced budget.”
 
The memo outlines four strategies Lam wants senior managers to implement immediately, including approval by a vice-president or executive leadership team member to recruit for any vacant position except for existing non-management positions in clinical areas; an end to discretionary spending on travel, non-clinical equipment, office supplies and the like; no more spending by areas that have not spent their full budget for the year; and to 10-per-cent cut to overtime and agency staffing.”
 
That section reads in full: “We’re reviewing all organizational initiatives to determine if they should be slowed or paused, as well as management strategies around the use of overtime and agency staffing. All non-clinical overtime requires Vice President or ELT leader approval, and all areas are asked to monitor and implement strategies to reduce the use of overtime and agency staffing in their areas by at least 10 per cent, while minimizing impacts to front-line service delivery.”
 
Said UNA President Heather Smith: “It’s all very well to talk about minimizing impacts to front-line services, but this simply cannot be done while cutting emergency staffing and overtime by 10 per cent.”
 
“This is a prescription for driving nurses and other health care workers out of the province and out of the profession,” she said. “This is absolutely contrary to what the government says it intends to do to encourage front-line health care services in Alberta.”
 
The UNA president said it is extremely troubling that a premier who refuses even to disclose if she has been vaccinated, and whose officials are suppressing information about the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, “in effect blames health care workers taking sick time for the problems in the system.”