Government and the union are trying a couple of things to reduce the amount of overtime nurses are putting in.

Some nurses end up making $150,000 a year with overtime as certain situations in the health care system result in pay three times the normal rate.

Their new contract, which was ratified Thursday but expires next year, enables the creation of “floating” positions where more nurses will be available for work. There will also be a core staffing review of needs and demands.

Debbie Forward, president of the Registered Nurses Union of Newfoundland and Labrador, thinks the measures will help. She says, for the most part, nurses don’t want to work overtime.

Finance Minister Tom Osborne agrees that overtime is an issue for government.