Alberta’s health regions have ratified a mediator’s report that made recommendations about a possible settlement between the province’s registered nurses and their employer.
“Health regions have concerns with some of the recommendations, but we believe the report sets out a fair and reasonable compromise for employers and nurses,” says Shannon Larkins, a representative of the Provincial Health Authorities of Alberta. The nurses have been without a contract since Mar. 31 of this year.
Talks between nurses and their employer began in January, but broke off three months later. That’s when the province appointed Alan Beattie mediator. He released his report July 18.
Representatives for the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) said some of the recommendations will make nurses retire early, or young ones leave the province – or worse, the profession.
Those changes include deleting part-time workers’ assured time off, the ability of the employer to move nurses to locations within the health region – with proper notice, and the employer’s ability to have nurses work permanent evenings or night shifts.
But those are about ensuring the optimum in patient care, says Larkins.
“Health regions believe that the mediator has built in flexibility for scheduling that will allow for improved patient care around the clock.
“It also makes provisions for greater flexibility for temporarily reassigning nurses to work other sites during emergencies and in response to patient care demands.”
The mediator also recommended that nurses could only be reassigned to 50 kilometres from their regular work site. In case of emergency, however, Beattie’s recommendations said the distance could be altered.
But in an interview with The Leader, Larkin said it’s highly unlikely RNs would be re-assigned as far away as Jasper —- or Cold Lake. In fact, she said if a worker is needed in a location beyond that (50 km.) distance, the employer would likely “consider it a lay off and re-hire at that (distant) location.”
And as for UNA concerns that part-time employees would no longer have assurances of time off, the representative said the clause was very expensive for the PHAA.
“Right now if they work two days, they’d have to have two days off. And if they go in (to work) on those two days, they get paid double time.” That, she said, often leads to a part-time employee taking home more than a full-time RN.
Under the mediator’s recommendations, “if they volunteer to go in (when they should be on days off), overtime only kicks in after a full week or full shift” for a regular, full time nurse.
Asked if she agrees with UNA’s claims that some of the recommendations will drive RNs out of province, or out of the professions, Larkin said the employer is looking out for patient safety and care.
“One of our concerns is that nurse managers have such a difficult time scheduling shifts to ensure patient care around the clock.
“Times have changed and we now need nurses as much at night as in daytime hours.”
But the employer would have to ask for volunteers to work the night shifts before it can make the shifts mandatory for a certain nurse, the rep added, “and in certain cases would have to prove (mandatory time) is necessary.”
She could not, however, say if nurses would receive any extra money for the permanent shifts.

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