NS Nursing Shortage Unresolved in Liberal Government’s 2015/16 Budget

News Release - for immediate release 

(Halifax, April 09/15) Today the Liberal Government announced the 2015/16 budget, and in doing so, put the onus on nurses and other public sector workers to help reduce the provincial debt.

The government has often stated over the past year that their intention going into the next round of Collective Bargaining with health care unions is to cut back on benefits and wage increases for health care workers.

“Right now we have a nursing shortage in Nova Scotia, due to retirement and lack of retention,” says Janet Hazelton, president of the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union (NSNU). “We can’t agree to a lesser contract for our nurses and expect to keep them in the province.”

With a new round of Collective Bargaining coming soon, there will be many issues to work out between the Nursing Council of Unions, the employer and the government, but the NSNU is adamant that attracting and retaining nurses has to be a priority. With a rapidly aging population and more pressure than ever on health care services, there are simply no other alternatives.

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The NSNU represents over 6900 Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and Nurse Practitioners working in hospitals, long term care facilities, and community care (VON and Canadian Blood Services). NSNU represents nurses in acute care setting in all 9 District Health Authorities plus the IWK with the following hospitals being located in the Capital District Health Authority: Dartmouth General, Hants Community, Cobequid Community Health Centre, Eastern Shore Memorial, Twin Oaks, Musquodoboit Valley Hospital. The NSNU is a member organization of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions which represents close to 200,000 nurses and student nurses across Canada.

Contact

Christie Blotnicky, Communications Assistant

902-469-1474 Ext. 305

Christie.Blotnicky [at] nsnu.ca

Janet Hazelton, President

902-468-0737

Janet.Hazelton [at] nsnu.ca