PrintLabour Board hearing into UNA Nurse Practitioner representation application to commence February 25
UNA’s request for a determination arises from the concern that with union representation Nurse Practitioners can safely raise issues with AHS about client care
The Alberta Labour Relations Board hearing into United Nurses of Alberta’s application seeking a determination that the union can represent Nurse Practitioners is now scheduled to commence on February 25, 2019.
Hearing dates have been set for February 25-27 and April 8-9, 2019.
Applicants with UNA in the application for determination are Nurse Practitioners Jessica Wakeford and Rochelle Young.
The Board has agreed first to consider the constitutional arguments regarding UNA’s position that the portions of the Alberta Labour Relations Code preventing Nurse Practitioners from being represented by a union violate the right to freedom of association guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The Board will then consider UNA’s other arguments if the Labour Code is found to be unconstitutional in that regard.
UNA argues that since it holds a certificate with the ALRB for “all employees when employed in direct nursing care or nursing instruction” by Alberta Health Services, employees of AHS who are Nurse Practitioners doing direct nursing or nursing instruction are members of UNA’s bargaining unit.
UNA’s request for determination notes that in no other Canadian jurisdiction are Nurse Practitioners precluded from union membership under the provincial labour code or from participating in collective bargaining. The Alberta exclusion resulted from amendments to the Labour Code passed by the provincial Legislature in 2003.
UNA also argues it has a strong community of interest with Nurse Practitioners because of its long history of representing Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses, the similar educational requirements of RNs and NPs, the fact members of both medical professions must register with the same regulatory college, and because NPs must first be RNs. In addition, UNA represented Nurse Practitioners in Alberta before they were excluded from union membership under the Labour Code.
UNA’s request for a determination arises from the concern that with union representation Nurse Practitioners can safely raise issues with AHS about client care.
AHS employs more than 300 NPs in hospitals, home living, facility living, supportive living, palliative care and as members of Emergency Community Urgent Response Teams.
Follow the latest updates about the United Nurses of Alberta’s application the Labor Relations Board regarding Nurse Practitioners.
