The contract with Canadian Health Labs for travel nurses working in the Western zone under NL Health Service came to an end yesterday, resulting in the remaining public service nurses being mandated to work overtime.

RNU President Yvette Coffey learned about the situation yesterday afternoon.

Six agency nurses were sent home at midnight and public sector nurses, many of whom had already punched a 12 hour shift, were mandated to fill the gap.

Nurses recently rallied outside Confederation Building to protest the amount of money spent on travel nurses in the public health care system, and Coffey says once again, nurses are left picking up the pieces.

“We didn’t say at the rally take every travel nurse and take them out of the system right now, what we’re saying is there has to be accountability for the funds and the money and where it’s being expensed.”