Nurses Ratify New Deal
Wednesday, May 11, 2016 @ 3:55 PM
Victoria, B.C. – Good news on the nursing front.
B.C.’s over 42,000 nurses have voted 85% in favour of a new five-year agreement with the Province.
Consistent with the Province’s Economic Stability Mandate – the deal provides members with a 5.5% wage increase over the five-year term, with the potential for additional increases if the provincial economy exceeds annual forecasts.
Along with a bump in wages, the Ministry of Health has committed $2 million to implement solutions to address rural and remote recruitment and retention issues throughout B.C.
The ministry and health authorities have also committed to funding at least 850 full time-equivalent specialty nurse training spaces for 2016-17.
Comments
Hope the BCTF borrows nurses negotiators for the next kick at the cat.
56 operations at BC Childrens Hospital have been cancelled or postponed in the last 10 days because of a critical shortage of specialty nurses. Surgeries have also been cancelled or postponed at Vancouver General Hospital over the last couple of weeks due to a shortage of 27 full-time equivalent nurses.
Reaching an agreement with the nurses union is one thing, properly funding and managing BC’s health care system is another, something this BC Liberal government seems to be struggling with… just saying.
A 5.5% wage increase over 5 years is a substantial pay cut. The province can call this their Economic Stability Mandate but they won’t be attracting anyone who will want to work for a declining pay scale compared to the rate of inflation. Especially in the highly priced real estate areas down south.
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