Nurses reject mediator-recommended collective agreement

A nurse is shown in this undated file image.

Alberta's nurses have rejected a new collective agreement proposed by a mediator.

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In the online vote on Wednesday, 60.48 per cent of locals and 38.88 per cent of United Nurses of Alberta's members voted to accept the mediator's recommendation.

A majority of locals and members was needed to ratify the agreement.

All locals participated in the vote, while 75 per cent of UNA's 30,000 members participated.

UNA president Heather Smith is expected to talk about next steps in the bargaining process on Thursday.

She, at the union's AGM earlier in the month, called the mediator's proposal – consisting of pay increases between 12 and 22 per cent over the agreement, in addition to an expedited process to challenge inadequate baseline staffing, and enhanced premiums – "the best agreement possible under the circumstances we find ourselves in in this moment in history, with this economy, and with this government."

The union originally sought 20-per cent and 10-per cent increases in compensation in the first and second years of the agreement, arguing members' pay increases had been either zero or less than inflation for more than a decade.

The government proposed two per cent in the first and second years and 1.75 per cent in the third and fourth.

The UNA represents health employees of Alberta Health Services, Recovery Alberta, Covenant Health, Lamont Health Care Centre, and The Bethany Group (Camrose).

More to come…