PrintUNA President Heather Smith tells members of complex negotiation year in 2017
In her report to United Nurses of Alberta’s Annual General meeting this morning, President Heather Smith gave tribute to Canadians and especially nurses across the country who pitched in to help the people of Fort McMurray after the devastating fire of last May.
“It is reassuring and inspiring to know that when Albertans and Canadians need each other, our differences and vast geography do not separate us,” she said to the applause of the 926 delegates, observers, staff members and guests at UNA’s 39th AGM in the Edmonton EXPO Centre. “This is solidarity at its best.”
Smith also made note of UNA’s joint advertising campaign with the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta – “RN: Two letters that make a vital difference to our care” – and bade an emotional farewell to UNA Labour Relations Officer Brent Smith, who died suddenly in February.
She promised that UNA will continue its investment in safe-staffing research and will continue to advocate, with the union’s partners throughout Canada, “for a new national Health Accord that will bring financial stability and long-needed expansion of health services such as Pharmacare, home care and a national seniors’ strategy.”
Looking ahead, the UNA president advised delegates of the challenging year ahead, which will include negotiations for a new Provincial Collective Agreement to replace the current contract that expires on March 31, 2017, negotiations for an independent Local Authorities Pension Plan, and complex bargaining to set workplace essential-services rules under new Alberta legislation.
“After three decades, we once again have the right to strike,” she explained, a reference to changes in Alberta labour law affecting public employees required by recent court decisions. “But it comes with onerous responsibility to negotiate essential-service agreements for every workplace.
“Unit by unit, program by program, we must negotiate what staffing levels, if any, will be maintained during job action,” she said.
