By Canadian Press

STRIKE RUMBLINGS

Nurses to rally in Red Deer over contract talks

Feb 10, 2020 | 6:45 AM

EDMONTON- The United Nurses of Alberta are planning a province-wide demonstration on Thursday over the current state of collective bargaining negotiations with the province.

Members of Local 2 (Red Deer Regional Hospital) and Local 218 (Central Zone Community) will gather at noon at Red Deer City Hall for an information walk to MLA Jason Stephan’s office at 201, 4327-54 Ave.

Events on Thursday will also include five each in Calgary and Edmonton as well as in Camrose, Drayton Valley, Fairview, Fort McMurray, High River, Hinton, Jasper, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Olds, Peace River, St. Albert, Stony Plain and Vermilion.

The head of the UNA says she has not seen such regressive contract demands from the province since the strike year of 1988.

Heather Smith says some nurses have been asking her about the possibility of hitting the picket line, but says she hopes it doesn’t come to that.

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Smith says nevertheless, the current contract proposal coupled with a report urging sweeping changes to how nurses are paid and deployed has created in her words, “kind of a powder keg.”

The province is pitching four years of pay freezes along with reductions in staffing, benefits and other changes in talks with Alberta’s 29,000 registered nurses.

The nurses have proposed a 2% pay increases in each of the first two years.

On top of that a benchmark report released last week says Alberta nurses are paid more than comparable provinces.

It also says staffing levels are comparably higher, and that lower-skilled staff could be better used in some situations.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro says a lot of work needs to be done but is confident a deal can be struck that is in the best interests of patients.

(The Canadian Press)