Alberta's nurses have "overwhelmingly" agreed to a new four-year deal.
The deal, announced in March, will see the province's nurses see an immediate 15 per cent increase with an overall increase to 20 per cent by the end of the contract.
A new pay grid has been developed with increases of four per cent between each step, and "significant increases" for on-call, charge pay and other premiums.
The new contract will also provide "full reimbursement" of professional registration and liability fees and a commitment to provide presumptive coverage for PTSD and other psychological injuries, which means that these diagnoses will automatically be associated with work unless proven otherwise. Also addressed in the contract are safe staffing practices.
According to a release from the United Nurses of Alberta announcing the contract ratification, over 95 per cent of the nurses who voted were in favour of the new agreement.
Turnout for the ratification vote held on April 2 was just under 78 per cent.
“This round of negotiations was about Respect, Retention and Recruitment,” said UNA President Heather Smith. “When UNA members voted against ratifying a settlement that had been recommended by a Mediator last October, they spoke clearly, and we listened. The result was the agreement ratified yesterday.”
The new agreement is retroactive to March 31, 2024 and runs until April 1, 2028.
“This new agreement places Alberta’s registered nurses in a strong and competitive position in the marketplace, which will support recruitment and retention," said Minister of Finance Nate Horner. "
“In addition, the Graduate Nursing Transition Pilot Program commits to hiring 1,000 new nursing graduates every year, throughout the term of the contract. This means that almost every nurse who graduates from a post-secondary institution in the province could have a full-time position following graduation.
“All of these initiatives will hopefully reduce the need for overtime, agency staffing and the need to recruit internationally educated nurses."
Horner notes that recruiting for rural and remote areas will triple to more than $22 million per year.
The United Nurses of Alberta represents more than 35,000 nurses in the province.
