Local 97 – CDHA Nurses Bargaining To Continue January 29 & 30

Bargaining resumed again on Thursday, December 12th.

Although very little bargaining occurred, in the afternoon your employer tabled a “Final Settlement Offer.” This offer does not even come close to addressing the proposals your bargaining committee has presented on your behalf regarding nurse-to-patient ratios, work schedules, vacation scheduling or any other substantive proposals.

The employer also still has their “clawback” proposals in this so-called settlement offer:

• They want to expand the four-week vacation restriction now in place from June to September to include vacation taken during March break and the nine days from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day;
• They no longer want to pay for Basic Life Support certification and want to place that burden on employees who are required to have the BLS certification;
• They want to discontinue the Education Premium for a  Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing for newly hired Registered Nurses;
• They want to discontinue the 11% Casual nurses receive in lieu of benefits if a Casual nurse is receiving Retiree Benefits.

Your bargaining committee is determined to make improvements to your collective agreement and has clearly indicated they are not going to bargain away your rights and benefits.

We understand the importance of being able to provide safe, high quality nursing care to your patients by having appropriate nurse-to-patient ratios.

We understand the significance of having some work-life balance by establishing and maintaining acceptable work and vacation schedules .

We will be returning to the bargaining table on Wednesday, January 29th and Thursday, January 30th and will be providing our response to the employer’s “Final Settlement Offer.” Your bargaining committee will continue to bargain in your best interest.

Please watch for further updates to come.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Bargaining Committee

Susan Dobbin              susandobbin@accesswave.ca

Karen Ferguson           karenlocal97@live.ca

Janice Nicholson         janicenicholson575@gmail.com

Rebecca Norris           rebeccanorris1@hotmail.com

Karin Harrison             karinharrisonlocal97@live.com

Linda Power, Chief Negotiator  lhpower@eastlink.ca

Lynette Johnson, ERO  ljohnson@nsgeu.ca

424-4063

1-877-556-7438