The President of the Registered Nurses’ Union says she is outraged that their members have not yet received all of the benefits included in their collective agreement signed last year.
Coffey says that yesterday the union received notice from Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services that the long-service premium included in the deal would not be paid out by the March 31 deadline. As well, no rationale or revised timelines were given.
Coffey asked the health authority to relay that information to members, but were told that once they have timelines for implementation they would communicate it.
That response, according to Coffey, is “not good enough.” She says members are already feeling “demoralized, disrespected, devalued” because of the agency nurse situation, and they will be more mad at these revelations.
In a statement to VOCM News, NLHS says the long-service premium requires the health authority review employees with 15, 20, and 25 years of service.
In some cases, they say the information required “predates the human resource information systems of the former Regional Health Authorities,” and it is taking more time to understand the historical data.
They anticipate that the incentive will be implemented some time in the spring.