Nurses union membership to vote on mediator-recommended settlement with province [Video]

The United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) have voted to send a mediator-recommended settlement with the provincial government to its more than 30,000 members for a ratification vote.

The agreement includes a 12 to 22 per cent pay increase over a four-year term, as well as significant increases to several pay premiums.

More than 500 voting delegates in Calgary on Thursday made the decision.

“This assembly decided it was up to every member affected by this agreement to have a vote,” said Heather Smith, UNA president, in a release Thursday night.

Thursday night’s release further stated, “The employers also committed in a letter of understanding to raise the Rural Capacity Investment Fund from $7.5 million per year to $22.5 million per year. The union and employer will jointly decide how the money will be spent to assist with retention and recruitment of nurses in rural Alberta.”

An online ratification vote is set for Oct. 30.

If ratified, the deal is …