The union hopes their new contract with government will stabilize the nursing situation in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Registered Nurses Union reached the agreement with government some time ago and members voted 80 per cent in favour. Nurses get a total of 8 per cent over four years, plus a $2,000 signing bonus.

President Yvette Coffey says all parties involved in the negotiations agree that the use of “travel;” nurses is not the answer. She says, in future, anyone who leaves their position with Health NL will also lose their seniority.

Coffey says they’re trying to incentivize people into taking permanent positions. Sixty-seven per cent of their members are permanent full-time and they would like to get the others back into the system. Coffey points out that the health care system in Newfoundland and Labrador is short by about 750 nurses with 200 internationally-educated nurses slated to arrive in the next six months or so.

She’s hopeful that the recruitment efforts will bring more people into the system and see fewer people leaving the system.