Alberta's nurses are about to have their say. Members of the United Nurses of Alberta will vote from October 15 to 17 on whether to ratify a tentative agreement reached with Alberta Health Services.
The union and the health authority announced the tentative deal in late September, ending that round of bargaining without job action. Ratification would settle the contract for thousands of registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses across the province.
The vote lands in a charged political moment for Alberta healthcare: recall petitions have been filed targeting 21 United Conservative MLAs, including Health Minister Matt Jones, with health policy among the grievances organizers cite.
Results are expected shortly after voting closes on October 17. For hospital units watching staffing levels heading into winter, a ratified deal would remove one major uncertainty from the season.
