N.B. nurses give thumbs-down to contract with province
06.10.2008 12:00
Health
- Source: cbc.ca
New Brunswick nurses have rejected a tentative contract agreement with the provincial government that was recommended by their leadership. The 6,100 members of the New Brunswick Nurses Union had nearly one month to vote on the deal. It was rejected by 53 per cent of those who voted. The union represents registered nurses who work in hospitals, community health centres, provincial jails, mental-health clinics and public health offices. Union president Marilyn Quinn said Friday the nurses felt the deal did not satisfy the need for improved working conditions. "One time a nurse would only be asked to do overtime on a very irregular basis. We have areas of the province now where nurses show up in the morning, work so many hours and are asked to go home and sleep and come back for the night shift because there is no other registered nurse to do it," Quinn said. Human Resources Minister Wally Stiles said he's disappointed by the outcome, but is still confident a settlement can be reached. "The next little while is going to be some tough economic times in the province of New Brunswick. And we have to be very prudent with the agreements that we make to make sure the taxpayer can afford the cost," he said. Quinn said the nurses will discuss their next move at their annual meeting in two weeks time. If an agreement cannot be reached, she said, a strike is a possibility. Recruitment and retention were key issues for the nurses during the six-month negotiation process, which began in March and ended last month. The last contract expired on Dec. 31. Story Tools: E-MAIL | PRINT | Text Size: SMLXL | REPORT TYPO | SEND YOUR FEEDBACKRelatedInternal LinksTentative deal reached with N.B. nursesHealth HeadlinesPolicy change delayed alarm signal over listeria, inspectors sayInspectors with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency say their hands-on role at meat plants changed with a CFIA policy introduced three months before the listeriosis outbreak.Nobel medicine prize awarded to three EuropeansThree European scientists won the 2008 Nobel prize for medicine on Monday for discovering the viruses that cause cervical cancer and AIDS.Long sick leaves may signal early death risk: studyPeople who take extended sick leave from work may be at a higher risk of dying early, a finding that could help doctors identify life-threatening problems sooner. Alert issued over E. coli cases linked to U.S. outbreakOntario's top doctor issued a public alert Friday concerning two E. coli cases thought to be linked to iceberg lettuce distributed in the province.Sale of cough, cold medicines for children under 6 reviewedBanning over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children under six might drive parents to resort to adult medicines, a U.S. health official said in weighing a recall of products to fight runny noses and congestion. Health FeaturesHEALTHMultiple sclerosisHigh rates in Canada and around the worldIN DEPTHFood additivesPreservation with a risk?HEALTHPsychologyInside the endurance athlete's mindVIEWPOINTHeather MallickFat and food: what's the real crisis?HEALTHTuberculosisAnatomy of a killerCHILD PSYCHOLOGYPoliticians' behaviourHow do we explain it to our kids?People who read this also read …
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