Talks between the Alberta government and nurses are stalling as the latter must negotiate a new collective agreement. Discussions stumble over the question of salaries and personnel.
According to United Nurses Union of Alberta (ANU) labor relations director David Harrigan, informal mediation meetings in September were productive, but the gap between the two sides appears too wide to bridge.
A, which represents more than 30,000 nurses, is demanding, among other things, salary increases of around 30% over two years.
The government’s offer is 7.5% over four years.
Raising wages is an important part of improving working conditions, Mr. Harrigan said, especially since wages have not kept pace with inflation.
They have a huge recruiting problem. Why the hell do they think that giving people fewer rights and raises [de salaire] below the cost of living would be the solution?
Since 2013, Alberta nurses have received a combined 11.5 per cent pay increase and five years of salary freezes. More than half of this salary increase occurred before 2018.
Stumbling over operational issues
Alberta and the union are also far apart on operational issues, judges Mr. Harrigan. The shortage of personnel and the way to manage the resulting working conditions pose a big problem.
I think both [parties] recognize that there are real serious problems
he said.
We have completely different views on how to solve these problems.
He added that the province wants to remove a contractual clause from the last collective agreement which states that Alberta Health Services (AHS) is obliged to try to fill vacancies with members of A before hiring external candidates.
We believe that the best way to proceed is to improve working conditions, which will make it possible to recruit staff.
“Find common ground”
On Thursday, Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said she could not comment on the issues Mr. Harrigan raised because negotiations are ongoing.
We must negotiate in good faith. I know that each side usually starts with one position and eventually finds common ground that suits all parties.
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Alberta’s health minister declined to comment on the negotiations. (archive photo)
Photo : Radio-Canada / Scott Neufeld
The minister added by recalling that Alberta hired 4,000 nurses over the last year.
The union has planned a meeting next week at which delegates from each affected local will be asked to provide feedback on next steps. According to David Harrigan, this could mean reconsidering the government’s offer, proceeding to formal mediation or possibly a strike vote.
Before holding a strike vote, the union and the province must go through formal mediation. If it fails, the union must wait a 14-day cooling-off period before seeking permission to hold a strike vote.
With information from The Canadian Press.
