No nurses' raise for 2 years: mediator

The union that represents Alberta's registered nurses is recommending approval of a tentative new contract put forward by a mediator.

Under mediator Tom Hodges' proposal, nurses wouldreceive no wage increase for two years followed by a four per cent jump in the third year ofthe contract.

Hodges'recommendation also calls for a "productivity increase" of two per cent to wages in the second year of the contract. Money for that hike would come from savings from converting casual and overtime hours into regular positions.

"It's a recognition that there are financial savings to be achieved moving from a dependency on a casual workforce and overtime to a more stable predictable workforce in terms of creating more regular full-time and part-time positions," said Heather Smith, president of the United Nurses of Alberta.

Nurses will vote on the deal on June 30. The union had proposed a two-year contract with a salary increase of four per cent annually.

Details of the proposed deal came Tuesday after the current contract between the United Nurses of Alberta and the province expired on March 31. Informal mediation began on April 6.

The bargaining team from Alberta Health Services (AHS) isurging its board of directors to approve the deal.

Both sides need to advise the mediator of their decision to accept or reject the recommendations by June 30.

If accepted, the new collective agreement, which would cover 24,000 registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses, will be retroactive to April 1.