Devonshire Care Centre nurses walk off the job for fair pay

Members of United Nurses of Alberta Local 417 employed by the Devonshire Care Centre in South Edmonton walked off the job at 3 p.m. this afternoon, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, to continue their long and difficult effort to be treated fairly by their employer.

The 15 Registered Nurses – members of United Nurses of Alberta Local 417 – set up picket lines at the private, for-profit care centre located at 1808 Rabbit Hill Rd. in Edmonton.

UNA President Heather Smith was at the picket line this afternoon, along with First Vice-President Bev Dick, Second VP Jane Sustrik and members of other unions including Alberta Union of Provincial Employees President Guy Smith.

After more than a year and a half of bargaining, and after waiting through Christmas as a good faith gesture for the benefit of residents and their families, the Local 417 members gave legal strike notice to their employer on Dec. 27.

In return for not giving strike notice until after Boxing Day, the nurses hoped their employer, B.C.-based Park Place Seniors Living, would make a similar gesture and return to the bargaining table with an amended offer in line with industry standards, said Smith.

The employer bargaining position is that the RNs at Devonshire Care should accept compensation of as much as $9 per hour less than other public and private sector nurses in Alberta – including those at other facilities run by the same company.

Earlier media releases with additional background on this labour dispute are found on UNA’s Website, www.una.ab.ca.