Alberta nurses hold 'day of action' in opposition of UCP government's proposed rollbacks

CALGARY -

The United Nurses of Alberta hosted information picketing at health care centres across the province Wednesday to send a message to the provincial government amid wage negotiations.

The province has proposed wage rollbacks of approximately three per cent to bring an estimated 30,000 staff under the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) at a time when the union representing them says workers are exhausted and feel under "attack."

In a news release, the UNA says its members are exhausted and overworked after a year-and-a-half on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic, a global health crisis.

The union says proposed rollbacks, which include the elimination of semi-annual lump sum payments, reduced shift and weekend premiums, the and removal of charge nurse positions, would come at the worst possible time.

The union says many hospitals are understaffed resulting in significant overtime and nurse burnout.

Contract negotiations between the province and the UNA are currently underway.

The nurses picketed outside 25 hospitals and health care centres and encouraged members of the public to participate.

In Lethbridge, more than two dozen nurses and supporters came out to highlight their concerns with the proposed changes.

"Frankly it's very disheartening and insulting that at this point, that's the value that nurses hold for this government," said UNA Local 120 president Margie Emes, who is also a registered nurse at Chinook Regional Hospital.

"We've put our lives on the line. We stressed about going home to our families and sharing an unknown virus with them."

Emes pointed to the fact that many hospitals across the province, including Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge, have been dealing with staff shortages since before the pandemic.

There are concerns that the government's proposition would only make things worse.

"We work short in our units regularly. It's a regular occurrence, not just at rural sites, but also in our urban sites," said Emes.

"Are these rollbacks are going to entice people to go into nursing or for registered nurses to stay in this province? We just don't see an end in sight if this continues to be the path that they're on."

Members from the University of Lethbridge Faculty Association as well as members from the Health Sciences Association of Alberta also came out to the demonstration to show their support for the UNA.

Minister of Treasury Board and Finance Travis Toews issued the following statement Wednesday morning regarding the information pickets.

“Our government is truly appreciative of the hard work and dedication that health care professionals – especially nurses – have shown over the last 18 months.

“We respect the rights of all Albertans to express their opinions on matters important to them.

"Our government is also committed to standing up for the health care system, and representing the best interests of all Albertans.

"That’s why we have been urging both Alberta Health Services (AHS) and UNA to work towards a new collective agreement that will bring long-term labour stability to the health care system.

"Last week, AHS proposed informal mediation to UNA, in an attempt to move towards a settlement agreement. Unfortunately, union leadership declined the offer.

"Many previous settlements have been reached in mediation. In the past 21 years, seven of the eight collective agreements between AHS and UNA have been reached with the use of a third party mediator. We are hopeful that informal mediation would allow the two parties to work collaboratively towards a deal this time as well. 

"Reaching a new collective agreement with UNA is essential for the province. The reality is that Alberta spends more money per person on health care than other large provinces, and this can’t continue.

"We are facing a $93 billion debt, and we spend more than half of the province’s operating budget on public sector compensation.

"We must continue to find efficiencies across the public sector – it’s an essential piece to restoring fiscal health and ensuring sustainable public services.

"We know the appreciation and respect for health care workers runs deep and wide throughout the province. As bargaining continues, my hope is that unions and their employers can quickly come to a settlement that works for everyone, and is aligned with the fiscal realities we are facing."

PROVINCE TAKING RIGHT APPROACH: TAXPAYERS FEDERATION

Franco Terrazzano, the national director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation believes the province is taking the right approach by proposing claw backs.

"We think really that Premier Jason Kenney is doing the right thing, standing up for team payers and pushing for government employees to take a wage cut," Terrazzano said.

" If you’re an Albertan working in the private sector over the last few years during the downturn and you only took a three or four percent pay cut, you’re one of the fortunate ones."

Terrazzano believes the province needs to look at paying back the $93 billion in government debt and that wage rollbacks are one way of achieving that.

With files from CTV News reporter Austin Lee