BULLETIN 191

February 26, 2002

health sector nurses' security provisions cut

The lay-off, recall, transfer, bumping and severance provisions for health sector nurses was contained in the Employment Security and Labour Force Adjustment Agreement (ESLA) rather than in the body of the collective agreement. Bill 29 eliminated the ESLA. Now, if a health sector nurse is in a redundant position because of budget cuts, they are limited to:

• filling a vacancy in their "worksite",
• bumping a more junior nurse in their "worksite" (only nurses with less than five years can be bumped, but that means that nurses with more than five years can be laid off if there is no one with less than five years seniority to bump),
• accepting severance (but severance is limited to employees with ten or more years service, and is only one week's pay for each two years of service).
• Bill 29 also permits "non clinical" services to be contracted out, but community mental health is considered a non clinical service. Nurses can also be sent to work at any worksite within a 50 km radius of their own worksite.

public service nurses negotiations resume

On February 26 - 28. Intent is to conclude non salary items. Salaries will not be discussed.

health sector reclassification pay arbitration set

HEABC has agreed to Stephen Kelleher to act as a single arbitrator in the dispute over the correct pay for UPN members who have been reclassified but whom the Employers are not paying the correct salary, including retroactive salary entitlement. Arbitration date is October 21 & 22.

two new provisions implemented for public service nurses

Public Service nurses may now bank a maximum of ten days in their Article 26 time banks. Also, in-hiring rates of pay have been increased to one increment for each year of experience.

transfers to the health sector

Nurses at Maple Cottage Detox have received their notice of transfer to the health sector, effective April 1st. The Union will conclude a transfer agreement shortly. PSERC is still not proceeding with a transfer agreement for Riverview nor Forensic Psychiatric Hospital until there is confirmation that authorization for the move has been given. So far, it hasn't.

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