Alberta nurses ratify new contract with pay and hiring boost

Alberta’s registered nurses have secured a new contract with Alberta Health Services, aimed at improving recruitment, retention, and working conditions, according to President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner.

“This new agreement places Alberta’s registered nurses in a strong and competitive position in the marketplace, which will support recruitment and retention,” Horner stated.

A key component of the agreement is the Graduate Nursing Transition Pilot Program, which commits to hiring 1,000 new nursing graduates annually throughout the contract’s duration.

This initiative ensures that nearly every nurse graduating from a post-secondary institution in Alberta could secure full-time employment upon graduation.

Additionally, efforts to reduce overtime and reliance on agency staffing will be supported by increasing recruitment efforts. The agreement also aims to decrease the province’s dependence on internationally educated nurses.

Spending on recruitment for rural and remote areas will triple, surpassing $22 million per year to attract nursing professionals across all communities. Safe staffing processes have also been incorporated into the new agreement to address concerns over workload and patient care.

Horner expressed gratitude to the union leadership and Alberta Health Services for finalizing the deal. “My thanks to the union leadership and Alberta Health Services for reaching a fair and equitable settlement that balances government’s ability to continue to spend on health care and provide fair and market-based compensation for nurses,” he said.

Of the eligible Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses who voted, 95.74 per cent supported ratifying the new agreement. In addition, 100 per cent of UNA’s 124 affected locals voted in favour of accepting the new agreement, which covers approximately 33,000 of UNA’s more than 35,000 members. Voter turnout was 77.38 per cent.

"As a result, the members will receive pay increases of approximately 20 per cent over the life of the four-year Provincial Collective Agreement, plus significant increases in premium pay and other benefits," said the United Nurses of Alberta on its website.

“This round of negotiations was about Respect, Retention and Recruitment,” said UNA President Heather Smith. “When UNA members voted against ratifying a settlement that had been recommended by a Mediator last October, they spoke clearly, and we listened. The result was the agreement ratified yesterday.”