More than 800 UNA nurses set proposals for 2024 round of contract bargaining

More than 800 Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses from throughout Alberta have now wrapped up the union’s Demand-Setting Meeting in preparation for the 2024 round of bargaining with major health care employers.

The three-day meeting in Edmonton ended Thursday afternoon saw elected delegates from all UNA Locals that are included in the Provincial Collective Agreement consider and vote on the entire list of bargaining proposals that UNA’s Bargaining Committee will take into negotiations early next year.

The delegates voted on the proposal package developed by the Bargaining Committee after it considered ideas submitted by UNA members at local bargaining meetings and in surveys.

“Every one of the contract proposals we put forward comes from UNA members and truly represents our needs and aspirations,” UNA President Heather Smith explained.

The “Ingoing Proposal Package” agreed to by members Thursday will be subject to a full membership ratification vote in January. Until the proposal has been ratified by a majority of impacted locals and by a majority of members, the details will remain confidential.

The Demand-Setting Meeting is one of the key moments in any round of UNA bargaining, especially for pattern-setting the Provincial Collective Agreement between the union and the group of employers comprised of Alberta Health Service, Covenant Health, Lamont Health Care and The Bethany Group (Camrose).

The current agreement expires on March 31, 2024.