After holding off on a strike until after Christmas, nurses at a south side care centre have given notice of their plans to move forward with a strike early next week.
On Thursday, the United Nurses of Alberta Local 417 said strike notice had been given – and the 15 Registered Nurses working at Devonshire Care Centre on Rabbit Hill Road would begin strike action at 3 p.m. Monday.
The decision to walk off the job came after more than a year and a half of bargaining with the employer, Park Place Seniors Living.
On Dec. 14, in a vote supervised by the Alberta Labour Relations Board, the union said the the nurses voted overwhelmingly in favour of going on strike.
However, the pledged to wait until after Boxing Day to serve strike notice, so a strike would not disrupt the holidays for residents at the centre.
UNA President Heather Smith said the nurses hoped that the company would respond by returning to the bargaining table in the new year, with an amended offer.
The union said the employer's offer had not changed since Dec. 1, including compensation at about $9 less than what the union said other Registered Nurses were making at other private and public sector facilities, including ones run by the same company.
