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Alberta Nurses Secure Pay Raise in New Contract
Alberta nurses will see a significant pay raise following the ratification of a new four-year collective agreement with the province. The new contract makes them the highest paid nurses in Canada.
The deal, negotiated between Alberta Health Services (AHS) and the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA), includes an immediate 15 per cent salary increase, with an additional five per cent phased in over the term of the contract. UNA members overwhelmingly voted in favour of the agreement, which also expands recruitment efforts for rural and remote areas.
President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner said the agreement strengthens Alberta’s ability to attract and retain nurses. “This new agreement places Alberta’s registered nurses in a strong and competitive position in the marketplace, which will support recruitment and retention,” Horner said in a statement.
The deal also commits to hiring 1,000 new nursing graduates each year through the Graduate Nursing Transition Pilot Program, ensuring that nearly every nurse graduating from a post-secondary institution in Alberta will have access to full-time employment.
The province is also tripling the funding to attract more rural and remote nurses, allocating $22 million annually. The agreement also addresses safe staffing processes and aims to reduce reliance on overtime and agency staffing. Horner thanked the union and AHS for reaching what he called a “fair and equitable settlement” that balances competitive wages with continued investment in healthcare.
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