Nurses move forward with United Nurses of Alberta new agreement NewsBulletin

UNA President Heather Smith and Director Over 500 nurses at the provincial of Labour Relations Reporting Meeting voted to David Harrigan at the send the new agreement to a negotiations table. ratifi cation vote by the members.

June|July 2010 Volume 34, Number 3 Message From the President Published by the United Nurses of Alberta six times a year for our members New Agreement takes us Editor Production Keith Wiley Kelly de Jong “forward together” Executive Board President Heather Smith y the time you are reading this the members covered by the (  s7   “Provincial Agreement” will have voted on their new tentative st 1 Vice-President th Bev Dick agreement reached June 14 . ! ere is a lot of information in this (  s7   NewsBulletin and on our website about the items recommended by the 2nd Vice-President B Jane Sustrik Mediator, Tom Hodges, or negotiated at the bargaining table. But even if #  s7   the members support ratifi cation on June 30th, the story isn’t over. Secretary/Treasurer Karen Craik (  s7   To begin with, there are other members involved in “Provincial Nego- or 403-237-2377 tiations” who do not have a new contract. ! ey are members working at North District long term care facilities (Capital Care Group, Good Samaritan Society, Roxann Dreger Susan Gallivan Bethany Calgary, Bethany Cochrane, Bethany Collegeside, Care West, North Central Terri Barr Keith Lang Shepherd’s Care, St. Michael’s Edmonton, and Salem Manor). Although Teresa Caldwell Beverley Lawrence they are considered part of Provincial Negotiations, their employers were Christina Doktor Judy Moar Karen Kuprys Beryl Scott not at the main table. ! eir negotiations are just about to begin. Central I was optimistic an agreement could be reached with Alberta Health Dianne McInroy Wanda Zimmerman Sandra Zak Services and I intend to remain optimistic that settlements will also soon South Central be achieved with these other employers. After all, they are funded by Blanche Hitchcow JoAnne Rhodes Tanice Olson Lois Taylor Alberta Health Services and ultimately accountable to Alberta Health Denise Palmer Daphne Wallace Services and I can think of no reason why Alberta Health Services would South suggest these nurses should have or accept less than nurses working di- Maxine Braun John Terry rectly for Alberta Health Services. Directors Secondly, getting back to why the story isn’t over, the new Letters of Labour Relations Understanding in the Provincial Agreement (see pages 3 to 5) will require David Harrigan signifi cant initial work and then ongoing diligence by Local Executive Finance and Administrative Services and rank- and-fi le members. Darlene Rathgeber While we have written promises to hire new grads, not reduce RN/ Information Systems Florence Ross RPN hours, and expand regular positions, the real work is in assuring fol- low through and implementation. Watch for more information this fall. Provincial Offi ce 900-10611 98 Avenue NW So in summary, the good news is that there is a tentative agreement Edmonton AB T5K 2P7 PH: (780) 425-1025 for the majority of our members. An agreement that moves us forward. Toll Free: 1-800-252-9394 Let’s hope the good news continues for our members in long term care or FX: (780) 426-2093 we will be calling on all members to step up to the plate in their support. Southern Alberta Remember our motto for 2010 “ Forward Together”. Regional Offi ce 300-1422 Kensington Road NW I hope you and your colleagues have a safe and enjoyable summer. Too Calgary AB T2N 3P9 soon the snow and cold will return. Soon the Legislature will reopen and PH: (403) 237-2377 Toll Free: 1-800-661-1802 we will need to deal with the Alberta Health Act. FX: (403) 263-2908 But now it is summer, so may we all enjoy warm sunny days and time Web Site: www.una.ab.ca E-mail: [email protected] with family and friends.

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40064422 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE Heather Smith - President, UNA CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: UNITED NURSES OF ALBERTA 900-10611 98 AVENUE EDMONTON AB T5K 2P7

United Nurses of Alberta 2 NewsBulletin Negotiations 2010 Proposed agreement

Nurses net 6% Increases regular Prevents overall increase over a three nursing hours and nursing cuts or layo! s year agreement hires new grads

he formal salary increase in the recent settlement is 0% in both year one and two, but the mediator’s recommendations give all nurses a 2% boost on the salary grid in year two as a “productivity increase allocation”, and a 4% increase Tin the third year. ! e deal also continues the payment of the lump sums which were established with the 2007 agreement. “Financially, this deal keeps Alberta nurses ahead of the curve,” says UNA Presi- dent Heather Smith. “It prevents Alberta nurse salaries from falling behind, which is UNA Chief Negotiator David important in attracting nurses to Alberta jobs.” Harrigan addresses the Provincial Reporting Meeting ...continued on Page 4

“All RNs will receive a special 2%

increase in their salary in 2011”

–UNA’s chief negotiator David Harrigan.

June|July 2010 Volume 34, Number 3 3 Negotiations 2010 ...continued from Page 3 Nurses at the Reporting Meeting fi ling expense claims on an iPad. UNA’s Negotiating Committee on the move

“Regularization” initiative “We have constant staffi ng crises every on sta" ng crises day which are costing our system money, and impact good nursing care,” notes ! e “productivity increase” takes advan- Heather Smith. “We are looking forward tage of possible savings from the “regular- to working with Alberta Health Services ization” initiative. ! is is an initiative to on this ‘regularization’ initiative.” relieve staffi ng stress and save the health system money by turning replacement No reduction in and overtime hours into new nursing jobs overall nursing hours, or into more hours (greater FTE) for hiring grad nurses part-time nurses who want more hours. Alberta has, over the years, drifted into Employers are also committing to a “just-in-time” scheduling process for maintaining RN staffi ng levels and to nurses. Now health employers have entire hiring 70% of the province’s new gradu- scheduling offi ces dedicated to coping ating RNs. Two Letters of Understanding with inadequate nurse staffi ng. ! is has in the agreement will help improve nurse become even more of an issue with the staffi ng in the province. ! e Employer 2009 "vacancy management" plan which has committed to “no overall reduction resulted in many vacancies not posted. Ca- in nursing hours” maintaining at least sual nurses are being worked to the bone, the same number of total nursing hours part-timers work many additional shifts, worked as there were in 2009-2010. and there is too much costly overtime. A second letter guarantees hiring the grads each year: “On an annual basis, the “Regularization” will turn these extra Employers will have a suffi cient number hours into regular positions, helping of either regular positions or temporary stabilize the workforce and providing positions of six months or greater, to be more certainty for our members and for able to hire at least 70% of the Alberta patients. With increased regular hours, nursing student graduates. the need for overtime should decrease, resulting in savings. Transitional changes Sorting out amalgamation of the health regions

t the same time as collective bargaining has been going on, Alberta Health Ser- vices and UNA have been working out the contract changes made necessary by the amalgamation of the nine Regional Health Authorities into the single body Aof Alberta Health Services. Mediator Tom Hodges also assisted in this process and many issues were resolved, but areas where UNA and AHS could not agree, Hodges has made recommendations. ! ese transitional changes are all under the authority of the Alberta Labour Relations Board and the LRB must confi rm the changes.

United Nurses of Alberta 4 NewsBulletin Negotiations 2010

Notice of layo! goes from 14 to 28 days

While the new agreement will prevent any overall reduction of nursing hours worked, the Employer may still make Over 500 UNA members voted on the proposed agreement local position eliminations (layoff s) for at the provincial Reporting Meeting in Edmonton, June 15th. operational reasons. But the employers must now give four weeks notice of layoff rather than the former two weeks. ! e change gives nurses much more time to Workforce Regularization Process make the important decisions on what they will do and which position they might choose. Converting overtime Facilitating retirees enrolment in bene# t plan and extra hours to ! e Employer agrees to take all neces- regular nursing jobs sary steps to facilitate the enrolment of retiring employees in the Alberta Retired Teachers’ Association (ARTA) Benefi t very innovative move in the new agreement is the Plan for post-employment Supplemental “regularization” which will help to stabilize the nurs- Health Care and Dental coverage eff ec- ing workforces, reduce stress and even save money by tive January 1, 2011. ! e retirees will be cutting down on staffi ng crises. responsible for the fees for the plan, but A AHS will ensure every employee is pro- “! is is one key way we can help take some off the strain in vided with the information they would nursing. Constant staffi ng crises have been a huge problem for need to join the plan. morale,” says UNA President Heather Smith. UNA President Heather Smith congratulates long time UNA and AHS will be working together through a Project Local 115 Nurse Shirley Soyland on her retirement Steering Committee to determine where extra hours can be converted into jobs. ! e Provincial steering committee will establish what “regu- larization” will look like, local committees will look at how many hours are out there and translating them into regular full and part-time positions. ! e local committee will say how many hours are available to create new positions or for increasing FTEs by off ering the hours to current employees.

June|July 2010 Volume 34, Number 3 5 Nurse Advocacy Nurses can, and should, comment on health care issues There is NO “muzzle” but it is wise to take care

mployees have an obligation 4. Nurses are concerned about delivery of loyalty and fi delity to their of safe and eff ective healthcare and employer. ! is means that they protection of patients, and comments Eshould not reveal any confi dential infor- should be made in this context. mation about the employer to the public. 5. Avoid a highly visible and sus- However, employees do have the right tained attack against your employer to participate in public discussion about (i.e. one letter to the editor may be government policies and public issues okay, but not one every day). (this is curtailed only for employees in 6. Ensure nothing you say puts you in very senior and trusted positions advising a confl ict of interest with your em- the government or employer). Nurses at Youville Home in St. ployer - where your interests would Albert held an information event be put ahead of your employer’s or outside their site to raise awareness UNA recommends that while nurses about RN staff reduction should not be silenced from participating your patients. in public debate, they should be cautious 7. Ensure that nothing you say un- about agreeing to any media interviews. dermines, or could be perceived to We recommend that you consult with undermine, your ability to do your Let me be clear: Alberta UNA before talking to any media or refer job. (i.e. speak generally about the Health Services supports media requests to UNA. strain on nurses, but do not ques- and encourages patient When making public comments about tion your ability to do your job health care keep in mind the following: because of the current situation). advocacy. Physicians and 8. Also, keep in mind your profes- staff are free to comment 1. Never reveal confi dential informa- tion to the public, especially any sional obligations under CARNA/ as they feel appropriate patient information. CRPNA. on patient care and other 2. To the extent that comments can 9. ! e way you make your comments issues, including wait be about government policy or is very relevant, so try choose an times and capacity issues. decisions, instead of AHS (your appropriate forum, and appropriate employer) that would be better. words and tone. - Roman Cooney, senior Vice President Communications, 3. Comment on policies or directions 10. If the concern relates to a spe- Alberta Health Services in an that have been announced or are cifi c issue with your employer, you April 19, 2010 letter to Dave should address it internally through Lowry communications director of already in the public domain. the Calgary and Area Physicians’ established channels of communi- Association. cation with your employer.

United Nurses of Alberta 6 NewsBulletin Health Care Wildrose Alliance on health care? Danielle Smith has outspoken views on “innovation”

he new Wildrose Alliance Party’s into their pockets to pay out when nurses health care policy sounds pretty say staffi ng must increase. good on their website. ! ey She lauds the importance of profi ts, want to “build a unifi ed, universal and T “Profi ts create both the incentive to invest cost-eff ective health services information and the means to reinvest.” Without network that will improve care and re- ever considering where all the money for duce long-term costs.” And they say they profi ts must come from. support all the principles of the Canada Health Act. Pretty good. But they also With public spending, on the other sound a lot like the Conservatives: “en- hand, “taxpayer dollars evaporate into the courage and support innovations in the abyss of public administration” she says. delivery of health care,” and: “focus fund- But real world studies of Canada and ing on patient care and reduce wasteful Wildrose Alliance leader the U.S. show administration and, yes Danielle Smith spending in the system.” profi ts, in the U.S. gobble up over 30 Many Albertans will recognize some per cent of health spending, compared of the key terms, “innovations” which to about 16 per cent in Canada (Wool- often means private corporate delivery handler, et al New England Journal of and “focus funding” which is a lot like a Medicine, 2003). ...continued on page 9 voucher system. But if you want to know more, we can look back at some of voluminous com- Nurse-to-patient ratios save mentary by Danielle Smith. In 2003, she criticized nurses in the Calgary Herald lives reports new study (March 27, 2003) saying: “they don’t want anyone other than government to run the n 2004, California became the fi rst jurisdiction to legislate health system”. She makes the argument minimum nurse-to-patient-ratios. Now a fi rst broad study has that nurses will get better conditions in been done on the results of the law. ! e researchers compared a for-profi t health care system, like in.... Ioutcomes for nurses and quality of care in California and two states Sweden? (It turns out the Fraser Institute without legislation, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. ! ey surveyed had just published a glowing report on 22,336 nurses in the three states. ! e conclusion was the legislation privatizing health care in Sweden.) has worked, improved nursing care and reduced deaths. ! ey found that in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey nurse workloads were “Under the old, heavily politicized higher than in California. If these states matched California nurse system, nurses had no access to decision- staffi ng ratios in medical and surgical units, New Jersey hospitals makers. In private facilities, nurses can would have 13.9 percent fewer patient deaths and Pennsylvania talk to their bosses directly and share 10.6 percent fewer deaths, saving 486 lives over two years. “When their ideas,” Danielle Smith claims. hospital nurse staffi ng levels are raised, nurse satisfaction and patient Of course, that makes complete sense. outcomes both benefi t—and lives are saved,” the study concluded. For-profi t owners will want to dig right ! e study is available at: http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=62408

June|July 2010 Volume 34, Number 3 7 Lubicon Cree Unionists visit Lubicon people who continue to have NO treaty

rights and worsening conditions by Christina Doktor

" e Lubicon were overlooked n April representatives from the Al- Without a Treaty the community has berta Federation of Labour travelled nothing to protect their land. Oil com- during the treaty process to northern Alberta to investigate the panies have been building roads, loading Lubicon Cree Human Rights issue. ! e machinery, and cutting down trees, and in 1899. " ey were not I story of the Lubicon Cree resurfaces every the Lubicon Cree are quickly losing their given the opportunity to few years as a public shame in Alberta. way of life. On average there are eight th pump jacks on a quarter section of land. ! eir visit coincided with the 20 sign on to Treaty 8. ! e self-suffi cient lifestyle of hunting, Anniversary of the United Nations Hu- fi shing and living off the land is quickly man Rights Committee resolution that diminishing before their eyes. ! e com- Canada had violated the human rights of munity lives with no running water. Only the Lubicon Cree by failing to recognize the school, health centre, and band offi ce and protect Lubicon rights to their lands, have a running water supply, and even and that intensive oil and gas develop- that is limited. ment had devastated the local economy and way of life. Today the land dispute remain unre- solved while what we saw there showed ! e Lubicon were overlooked during the harm experienced by the Lubicon the treaty process in 1899. ! ey were not people has only increased. given the opportunity to sign on to Treaty 8. After many years of trying to negoti- Lubicon kids launch ate a Treaty, the Lubicon remain frozen UNA Executive Board Members “Operation Hockey” Christina Doktor and Beryl Scott out. ! e Government last negotiated with were on a recent visit to the them in 1992. Lubicon Lake band as a member ! e AFL tour met with the kids over of the AFL Human Rights and International Solidarity Committee. To the Lubicon, a Treaty is like a col- lunch. We asked them why kids drop lective agreement to a union member. out? We heard a lot of responses, with the same general theme. ! ere is noth- ing to do in Little Buff alo. ! e principal opens the gym in the evenings so the kids can have gym night. Otherwise the kids are at home, riding on quads, and as one student said “we’re getting into trouble.” We asked the kids what they want or need to improve things. ! e kids decided on a hockey rink and called it “Opera- tion Hockey”. ! ey met with the Band Council presented “Operation Hockey” and were assigned some land. Communications Energy and Paper- workers (CEP) Local #707, took up the hockey rink challenge. On May 25th they United Nurses of Alberta 8 NewsBulletin Lubicon Cree

met with members from Little Buff alo th and began planning. ! ey levelled and Essay contest on the 20 Anniversary cleared the topsoil and put down the gravel. ! e plan is to build the cement o commemorate the anniversary, the AFL supported a pad this year, and work on the boards special project, an essay writing contest initiated by Am- later in the fall or next spring. ! anks to nesty International, KAIROS, and Canadian Ecumenical CEP 707, “Operation Hockey” is a go, Justice Initiatives. Students from Little Buff alo worked up their and with some fund raising a great group T essays and three winners got the big prize, a trip to New York to of kids will have a hockey rink! present their papers at the United Nations in March.

Students from Little Buffalo School wrote essays to win a trip to the United Nations in New York.

...continued from Page 7 Health Care Danielle Smith on private health care

And, ironically, Danielle Smith touts Minister Ron Liepert. In a Herald piece the advantages of the Health Resource (August 12, 2008) she seems to be talking Danielle Smith was Centre in Calgary, the private hospital about a voucher type system for patients: praising the eff orts of that Alberta Health Services was forced “! e fi fth problem is how patient care to bail out recently. “Calgary’s Health is funded -- bureaucrats are deciding former Health Minister Resource Centre, one of the few private what should be funded, which has lead surgical facilities in Alberta, has demon- to a bloated bureaucracy and not enough Ron Liepert. strated some of the advantages of private- money spent on essential services. Liepert sector delivery for health-care workers. likes the concept of the Crowfoot Clinic, Although CHR pays lower wages than which receives funding directly from the the public system, it provides better province based on the number of patients working conditions.” In fact the Health it has on its roster. He also likes the idea Resource Centre closely matches wages individual medical savings accounts, with the public system, but it doesn’t pay which would give funding directly to pa- benefi ts. In fact, nurses have told us HRC tients to choose their own treatment...”. encourages its nurses to work part-time All in all, Danielle Smith sounds like a in the public system to get their benefi ts. real booster of the Conservative plan for More recently, Danielle Smith was “patient-focused funding” and “publicly- praising the eff orts of former Health funded” but privately delivered health care. June|July 2010 Volume 34, Number 3 9 Keeping Healthy at Work Nurses concerned for safety with budget-saving security cuts

Janice Peterson, Occupational Health and Safety Offi cer, United Nurses of Alberta

ff ective April 1, 2010, din and they are not sworn offi cers. ! ese Alberta Health Ser- staff cannot issue trespass tickets. vices implemented a Many of the Paladin staff who have new protective service model for E been assigned to sites have yet to re- the province that is partly in-house ceive training. In addition, any concerns (personnel will be AHS employees) regarding the performance of the con- and partly contracted out to a private tracted staff must be dealt with through security agency (Paladin). ! ere will be Paladin. AHS management personnel province-wide dispatch and a signifi cant cannot direct the work of these staff . reduction in both security and dispatch " e original plan called staff (120 positions). ! is plan was ap- In discussions with AHS we were for the elimination of proved by CEO Stephen Duckett. advised that because they will now have more CPO2’s who can issue tickets they ! e Protective Services staff employed security personnel at all of felt that they could reduce the number of by AHS fall into two categories(CPO 1 protective services staff . ! is rationale is & CPO 2) with diff erent training. the rural and community suspect given the fact that a signifi cant Community Police Offi cers 1 receive health sites. number of the staff will be contracted out six weeks of training. ! is is same train- and will not have the same abilities as ing provided to Alberta Sheriff s. ! ese in-house staff . individuals are sworn offi cers and have ! e other signifi cant diff erence be- the right to restrain and arrest. tween the in-house CPO2’s and con- Community Police Offi cers 2 receive tract staff is the pay rate. Peace Offi cers two weeks of training and have the ability employed by AHS will be earning up to to restrain individuals and issue trespass $10.00 more per hour and receive ben- tickets. ! ey are also sworn offi cers. efi ts and vacation pay. Contract Security should receive the At several meetings regarding this issue same two weeks training as the CPO2’s, AHS representatives admitted that the however, the training is provided by Pala- main driver for contracting out and staff Nurses facing problems with security

“Last night I had a mental health patient in who was this area (one constable who had already called in another hearing voices telling him to kill the doctor, staff , and member to assist her) were responding to another mental others. He threatened to stab the doctor imminently. When health related call. " ey would be there ‘as soon as possible’. we called our “roving” Security people based at Alberta " e staff on at the time were quite upset and we felt our Hospital, I was told they had “gone off shift” and no one safety was threatened. Eventually the RCMP did arrive, was available to help me. I called 911 and the RCMP in but not until after very tense moments in our health center.”

United Nurses of Alberta 10 NewsBulletin Haiti reductions was budget cuts (they are reduc- Gut wrenching; ing the number of dispatchers as part of centralizing the dispatch offi ce & they save heart expanding; money by contracting out because they do not have to pay benefi ts & vacation etc) incapacitating; Prior to the changes, Protective Service staff was also perform additional tasks hopeful such as responding to elevator alarms and fi re alarms, monitoring engineering sys- tems, lost and found, arranging for lock- smiths. At one meeting concerns were raised about maintenance staff ’s ability to take on these additional duties when they do not provide a 24/7 service. We were advised that AHS was still working out the details regarding these additional duties at that point. ! e original plan called for the elimina- tion of security personnel at all of the ru- ral and community health sites. ! ere are two or three mobile units assigned to each sector (seventeen to cover the province). ! e staff in the mobile units will make regular visits to facilities but if staff require immediate response they must call 911. On April 26th, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) received notice that AHS had reconsidered it’s de- cision to withdraw all security from rural hospitals and would now provide con- dmonton nurse Lise Budreo travelled to Haiti after the tracted security services at rural hospitals earthquake to help. She is sharing just a part of the touching where AHS Protective Services offi cers story her experience there. were present in the past. E I know that there is not enough space nor time to tell you of how I Although this was a welcome an- feel... I watch the word counter at the bottom of the screen and I fear nouncement this is far from ideal and still I will run out of room even before I can scratch the surface of what results in a downgrading of the level of my recent trip to Haiti meant to me, did to me, made me feel... but I security. Many of these sites lost long- will try because I have to try and help you understand… serving security staff who were replaced by Paladin staff . 01:30 I am holding an 18-month old child in my arms... he bolts awake every so often, turns his head and looks at me... reassured UNA is opposed to the implementa- I have not let him go. I cannot begin to explain to you the look in tion of this new service model and worry his eyes, the weight of his 15 pounds in my arms, the sadness that that these changes will expose nurses and emanates from him... the pain he must feel emotionally and physi- other health care workers to even more cally... he has not eaten in 2 weeks... no explanation... threats and violence than they are now. Read more about one nurse’s story in Haiti on Lise’s blog at: http://liseinhaiti.blogspot.com

June|July 2010 Volume 34, Number 3 11 Staffi ng Research shows Canadian nurses fatigued

n a survey of more than 7,000 regis- and sound decisions. Relentless and tered nurses across all sectors of health excessive workloads, ongoing staffi ng care, more than 55 per cent reported issues and sicker patients are the key feelingI almost always fatigued during work. reasons for the fatigue, the nurses say. Coupled with the cognitive, physical ! e research report, Nurse Fatigue and emotional strains of working in and Patient Safety, was prepared by the high-stress environments, the report Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) concludes that fatigue is taking a heavy and the Registered Nurses’ Association toll on nurses. " e report concludes of Ontario (RNAO) and released during Nursing week. Both CNA and RNAO say the research highlights a serious issue that that fatigue is taking a Nurses said fatigue interfered with must be addressed immediately in the their ability to make good judgments heavy toll on nurses. health-care system. Key recommendations in the report include: Old Calgary poster still tells it like it is. t
ensuring governments at all levels This older Calgary poster provide adequate funding to is still up, but it has new meaning in the age of increase the number of RNs to “hallway” nursing. “Non- ensure safe care for all patients, traditional” hallway spaces for beds, should NOT in particular, sicker, complex or make any difference, the unstable patients; poster seems to suggest. t
requiring health organizations to make public their overtime, absen- teeism and disability statistics t
supporting nurses to assume more responsibility for managing fatigue while at work, including using professional approaches to decline additional work assignments “Nurse fatigue is just one of the neg- ative consequences that can be linked to Canada’s RN shortage,” said former CNA president Karen Neufeld. “! e imperative for the Canadian Nurses Association and RNAO in spotlight- ing this crucial problem and iden- tifying specifi c solutions is to guard against unsafe patient situations and stop a potential exodus of nurses from the profession, which would further compound patient safety.” United Nurses of Alberta 12 NewsBulletin Nurse Advocacy Minister hears from Cold Lake nurses

lberta government ministers were this is the expectation the obstetrical hurriedly touring the province nurse also to have a patient assign- this spring including Health ment on the general fl oor. We have andA Wellness Minister Gene Zwozdesky PRC’s addressing this issue. who dropped in on staff at the Cold Lake ! e Professional Responsibility Com- Health Centre. mittee (PRC) forms she passed on to the At Cold Lake he certainly heard from Minister were clear too: the nurses. “OBS patient was being induced (re- Local #76 President Dianne Bibeau re- quires one-to-one nursing) and another ports that she and others made it clear to patient was in active labor (physician the minister how understaffi ng is eroding ruptured her membranes even though there the care at their facility. were no extra staff ). Patients delivered within one hour of each other which meant Dianne followed up with the Minister Health and Wellness Minister that this left one RN to care for ALL the Gene Zwozdesky with a letter on the problems. “We are patients on the fl oor! Meds were given late desperate for increased staffi ng,” Dianne and patients were not adequately cared Bibeau told the minister. “! is has been for! One LPN worked a 16 hour shift as an issue for years, and we have tried to there were NO extra staff available.” On most shifts there are work within the process to achieve ad- equate staffi ng levels. We wait indefi nitely On other issues the Health Minister only two nurses to triage, for approval for pending “Issues for Deci- has been quick to say he can’t adminis- sions” — some apparently on the critical ter the health care system directly, but assess, give treatments, list! ! e new approval process after the Dianne certainly hopes that telling just formation of AHS has made fi lling even some of the stories of understaffi ng will input orders, admit, clean the existing vacancies extremely diffi cult.” lead to something better. and change stretchers. She detailed how the shortage impacts the facility and the patients. Some examples: UNA Green Committee looking at t
On most shifts there are only two nurses to triage, assess, give treatments, reducing environmental impact input orders, admit, clean and change Lee Coughlan, Labour Relations Offi cer UNA stretchers. Even one moderately ill pa- tient can severely stress the department. n May 21, 2010 UNA Staff ’s Green Committee met for the t
Sick calls are usually a mini-crisis re- fi rst time. ! e Committee is the fi rst step in what we hope quiring people to work either longer will be a conscientious eff ort to reduce UNA’s impact on the hours or on their days off . Oenvironment. ! e Committee met for a second time on June 4th and discussed early results of our eff orts. UNA is currently testing print- t
We have diffi culty training staff for ers and computers for “phantom power” waste and we hope to achieve obstetrical positions due to lack of quantifi able reductions by turning off these and other items overnight. time for existing staff to educate, We will also be providing monthly updates through the Newsbul- and no position for an educator. ! is letin to describe UNA’s achievements on greening operations. We negatively aff ects anyone hoping to hope that our eff orts can inspire members to follow suit in their own be an obstetrical nurse. Adding to homes. June|July 2010 Volume 34, Number 3 13 The Revenue Side There are alternatives. Let’s be creative and critical.

he Parkland Institute believes It was this experiment that resulted in that engagement is key to de- the loss of billions of tax dollars from the mocracy and the public interest. provincial coff ers and ultimately made our In particular, we believe that there is public services overly dependent on natural Ricardo Acuña is the executive T value in researching and disseminating gas revenues. According to recent Park- alternatives to current government policy. land research, had the 1999 progressive tax director of the Parkland Critical and creative engagement with the system still been in place in 2006, it would Institute, a nonpartisan public world around us moves society forward. have meant an extra $5.5 billion in the ! is is especially the case when those provincial coff ers in that year alone, and policy research institute at the we have elected to protect and promote signifi cantly more in the current tax year. our interests stand before us and say that Albertans are reluctant to talk about University of Alberta. For there are no alternatives. this because they believe the myth that more information, contact the We have heard this repeatedly over the they pay the lowest income taxes in the last year from the premier and cabinet country. ! e reality, however, is that this offi ce at 780.492.8558 or visit ministers. ! eir message has been clear applies only to the wealthiest Albertans. www.parklandinstitute.ca. and consistent. Alberta’s overdependence Albertans in the lowest tax bracket pay on natural gas revenues is resulting in more income tax than their counterparts multi-billion dollar provincial defi cits, and in six other provinces do. Likewise, a the only way to deal with this is to cut jobs family earning $75,000 per year pays and public services. ! ere is no alternative. more in Alberta than it would in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Que- Our research has found that numer- bec, Yukon, the Northwest Territories or ous alternatives exist; what’s missing is Nunavut. ! ere are alternatives. the political will to implement them. ! e government spent more than half a Pursuing the alternatives listed billion dollars last year alone on “drilling above—$5.5 billion in tax reform, and stimulus initiatives.” ! ese are actually $1.7 billion and $540 million diverted royalty breaks to the oil and gas indus- from carbon capture and storage funding try—breaks that research has shown and royalty breaks, respectively—would will do next to nothing to stimulate the mean an extra $7.74 billion in provincial economy. ! ese “stimulus initiatives” revenue this year alone. ! at would be have now been made a permanent part of enough to make up the $4.7 billion defi - Alberta’s royalty regime. cit and generate a $3 billion surplus, or provide $3 billion in increased funding to One area the premier has been adamant education, health care and social services. about not changing is the area where change is needed most—Alberta’s tax At Parkland we strive to be creative and system. In 2001, Alberta moved from a critical and to seek alternative ways of progressive tax system (where the higher doing things. Shouldn’t we demand the the income, the higher the percentage same of our government? paid in taxes) to a fl at tax of 10 per cent.

United Nurses of Alberta 14 NewsBulletin Alberta Health Act

The coming Alberta Health Act Repealing Alberta’s Public Medicare laws?

his fall, the Stelmach government to deliver public services. ! is has result- wants to make major changes ed in extensive privatization in Senior’s " e government says the to health care law in Alberta. care and created very diffi cult situations TConsidering the Conservatives very poor like the Health Resource Center private Alberta Health Act will record on the health care fi le, this is a hospital Calgary going bankrupt. establish several principles to cause for serious concern. ! e government says that Alberta health ! e government says the Alberta law exceeds the requirements of the Cana- run the system, but it gives Health Act will establish several princi- da Health Act and requires “revision.” no specifi cs. ples to run the system, but it gives no spe- Current Alberta health laws reinforce cifi cs. Current laws have specifi c language the Canada Health Act and provide some that protects and maintains a universal specifi c standards for our health system public health care system. Any change to function. ! e Canada Health Act of- that weakens these laws could lead to a fers guiding principles. Albert’s Medicare parallel, two-tier for-profi t health care laws provide specifi cs. system that relies on private insurance. If the government weakens our pro- Alberta’s current health laws set spe- vincial laws into vague language with no cifi c standards for health care, especially teeth, Albertans would be left exposed to in nursing home care. Any change that Friends of Medicare held its provincial extra-billing, de-listing of services, private Annual General Meeting in Edmonton weakens these standards means you and recently. Members travelled from insurance and an explosion of private across the province to join in the your family could pay more, and end up health care. discussion of issues and campaigns. with a lot less. ! e Stelmach government has appointed Edmonton MLA Fred Horne and a com- mittee of representatives to undertake con- sultation about the new Alberta Health Act this Summer. Horne and the committee are scheduled to provide their report by Sep- tember 30th and the new Alberta Health Act is expected to be brought before the Legislature for the fall 2010 session. Visit ! e Friends of Medicare is holding www.albertahealthact.ca parallel public consultations across Alber- ta, highlighting this government’s pursuit and www.health.alberta.ca of an aggressive policy of private contracts for more information.

June|July 2010 Volume 34, Number 3 15 Nurses' Week UNA joins with retired nurses in special tea for Nurses’ Day

Jane Weir, new grad nurse at UAH, Heather Smith and 92 year old Harriet Younie. his year on May 12th, President Heather Smith and a small UNA contingent joined in the Tfestivities at Touchmark at Wedgewood in Edmonton. ! e residence hosted a special tea for its many retired nurses including 92-year-old Harriet Younie, the oldest U of A nursing graduate at Touch- mark. Harriet and some of the other retired nurses displayed many of their nursing treasures, including a vintage pair of silk stockings (a uniform require- ment of the day) and a set of very antique instruments that were reportedly used by a distant relative in the Crimean War itself. Another of the residents brought her niece to the tea, newly graduated Jane Weir who is working at the University of Alberta Hospital now!

Heather Smith celebrated Florence Nightingale’s birthday with retired nurses at Touchmark at Wedgewood.

United Nurses of Alberta 16 NewsBulletin Nurses' Week

Harriet Younie, the oldest U of A nursing graduate , and others display all of their nursing treasures.

Doris Douglas graduates Harriet Younie (middle) from Holy Cross Hospital in NYC Hospital in 1944. Now at Touchmark before the war. in Edmonton.

Zwozdesky hears from nurses on Nurses’ Day

NA Local #301 was holding experience in the room added up to more its annual meeting on Florence than 4,000 years of nursing. Nightingale’s birthday, May 12th. Zwozdesky talked about how important With assistance from UNA President U nurses are in health care and even touched Heather Smith, they invited Health and on the history of Florence Nightingale. Wellness Minister Gene Zwozdesky to (A video of his remarks is on the UNA bring greetings. youtube page: search United Nurses). But before the Minister got a chance to Heather Smith noted after talk, some nurses introduced themselves Zwozdesky’s left that it had been the and talked about how long they had been fi rst visit by a minister to a UNA event, in nursing, some for decades, and new since… well, no one could remember a nurses for less than a year. But the total previous one.

June|July 2010 Volume 34, Number 3 17 Faces & Friends Melita Swartz retires after 52-year career

ow in her seventies, Mel- of those nights, you know.” Melita Faces & ita Swartz decided has been active in UNA her friends to take advantage whole career, attended all the Nof the voluntary exit plan meetings and always helped News about the and take “early retirement” out. She was the one to from her regular job at the sign up new members. She people of United Drayton Valley Health raised her family in Drayton Nurses of Alberta. Centre. Melita was working Valley and has grandchil- 12 hour, rotating shifts at dren to help out with too. the hospital up until her last Melita graduated from St. night. “I thought we’d have to Paul’s in Saskatchewan in 1958 time to reminisce,” her colleague and worked at the Calgary Gen- Verlie Klap says about Melita’s last eral, in Wetaskiwin and several other shift. “But we had two maternities, a full hospitals but spent most of her career, ward and the emergency was busy. One over 40 years, in Drayton Valley.

ver 40 UNA members ver 30 people from across Alberta joined gathered to bring nurses from Saskatchewan attention to the Oand Manitoba at the Canadian Fed- state of long-term care in eration of Nursing Unions Prairie O Labour School in Regina in May. Hinton when 7 Cabinet Ministers visited the town ! e Labour School included work- in June. shops on Generational Diversity, Accommodating the Disabled, and Organizer Lynda Jonson Intercultural Awareness. said while the event turned some heads, only action will make it a success. Jon- son added that the current Good Sams center pro- vides assisted living which is good for some, but not all. She says staffi ng also needs to be addressed as current staff work too many hours.

ocal 33 members Lucille de Beaudrap and Domhnall Kevin Champagne, Karen Craik, Kathleen Hamnett, and Derek O’Doughartaigh climbed to the Gwynn at the Calgary event for summit of Mount Everest in May 2010, the day of mourning for workers injured or killed on the job. L just after Nursing Week. ! ey posted a special version of their photo: on their blog with the UNA Nursing Week message: Alberta’s Nurses At your side! On your side! Read about their adventure at: http://myfriendlucille.blogspot.com/

United Nurses of Alberta 18 NewsBulletin Know your UNA Contract yourRights

should just approve them all, but if they do not we will Voluntary Exit Plan get to arbitration as fast as we can and get decisions,” AHS turns a potential morale David Harrigan says. booster into a nightmare If any members hear any news about this program, please contact us and keep up to date. We will also post lberta Health Services has badly mishandled the updates as we learn of them. Voluntary Exit Plan that it sought to negotiate AHS changing benefi t and RRSP carriers with UNA last year. Hundreds of senior nurses applied for the plan, but AHS has had diffi culty with its A lberta Health Services is changing to Alberta approval process. Blue Cross as its extended health benefi ts car- Nurses have had many experiences with their applica- rier, but there should be no changes in benefi ts. tions. One nurse with 40 years, asked about her application ! e plan still includes 100% coverage of all prescribed was told abruptly, ‘oh, yeah, your last day will be Friday.’ At A medications. the other end of the spectrum a nurse was told, ‘Yes, you AHS is also making changes to the administration of are approved but I can’t let you go until November.’ the supplementary RRSP. Standard Life will be manag- “AHS has taken a program that could have created good- ing the program from here on in. Already existing RRSP will among nurses and left many feeling very badly treated,” plans are NOT aff ected and remain where they are, but says UNA Director of Labour Relations David Harrigan. future contributions will be going into a Standard Life As of May 2010 282 UNA members had been approved. RRSP account. 72 had been denied and 42 are still "in progress" - meaning Under the RRSP benefi t employers match your RRSP the employer has not decided if it is approved or denied. contributions up to 2% of annual earnings. ! is can “We believe that very few, if any, members should be be thousands of dollars a year. It’s a bank account that denied,” David Harrigan says. “In order to deny, the em- doubles your money! ployer will need to show that training a replacement em- Standard Life is contacting members to allow them ployee would cause an undue hardship for the employer.” to enrol in the plan online and to access the new RRSP UNA has fi led grievances on every denial. AHS has accounts. agreed to proceed to arbitration quickly. “We think AHS Have you joined UNA on ?

ith over 500 million users news stories, blogs, UNA updates, and You can also fi nd UNA world-wide, Facebook is the videos and photos of UNA members largest online social network from across Alberta. Since January 2010, on Twitter (twitter. and is quickly becoming the default for over 1,300 comments, “likes” and conver- W com/UnitedNurses) and online activity. As of June 2010, UNA’s sations have been generated from UNA Facebook Page has attracted over 2,100 members and supporters on Facebook. YouTube (youtube.com/ fans, including members and support- We encourage all UNA members and ers. ! is means that your union is now supporters to engage in these online social UnitedNursesAlberta). the largest Alberta union on the popular media and to have respectful conversations. online social network! It is public, so remember to keep it clean! When you join, you can access and join http://facebook.com/UnitedNurses in discussions about interesting links, June|July 2010 Volume 34, Number 3 19 Alberta’s nurses

Nurses advocate for the well-being of our patients in hospitals, our clients in the community, and our residents in long-term care.

Advocating for our patients. It’s an important part of being a nurse. Publications Mail Agreement #40064422 Publications Mail