Negotiators for nurses and government have their work cut out for them as contract talks ramp up.
Union president Yvette Coffey spelled out many of the key issues yesterday during their convention in St. John’s.
Her concerns range from pay and 24-hour shifts, to work-life balance and gender inequity. But Coffey also questions the province’s use of a pricey, private nursing agency to help address shortages.
She says the regional health authorities have signed contracts with the Ontario agency, noting more private clinics are also being established across the country. Coffey says the province “should be investing in the publicly-funded health care system, not private industry.”
Private nursing agencies can pay up to $130 an hour, prompting local nurses to ditch the public sector in favour of private.
As for contract talks, the first proposals were exchanged last month with another meeting set for November.