Manitoba’s nurses have ratified their new deal with the province.
The MNU says it addresses many issues including shift premiums, overtime compensation, meal allowance, isolation allowance, and a health spending account.
MNU president Darlene Jackson said it’s huge for all nurses – but especially those who are on the cusp of retirement, so they can stick around a few more years.
“We do need their skill, we do need their experience,” Jackson said. “We need that talent to be able to mentor those new nurses so that when they do set out on their own on the unit, they are confident, comfortable with their skills and feel they are ready to go.”
Jackson said it includes a 10 per cent pay bump over the seven years of the deal – and four years of back pay.
Because of the back-dating, this seven-year contract will expire in the spring of 2024.
“Retroactive pay is very specific to each nurse based on the number of hours they worked,” Jackson said. “It will be back pay from April 1, 2017 right up to April 1, 2021 and we’ll move on to the new agreement.”
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Jackson said there was no chance the nurses would ratify an agreement that didn’t include back-pay after the challenges of the past two years.
There are also protections against long consecutive hours of work or standby durations.
A new $4 million annual recruitment and retention fund will also be created.
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