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Hundreds of nurses rallied Saturday across several cities in Alberta to protest working conditions in hospitals.
Attendees of the ‘Day of Action’ rallies say staff are burning out amidst dwindling resources.The rallies took place as contract negotiations continue between the union representing nurses and Alberta Health Servies.More than 30,000 members of the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) Association have been without a contract since April.They rejected an offer late last year. Mediation resumed this week.Marie-Therese Mageau, president of Local 301, said she and her colleagues have been dealing with an under-resourced healthcare system for the last few years.“We’re really concerned about the lack of nurses,” Mageau said. “We need to ensure we have a fair contract to encourage more nurses to come to Alberta.” Mageau joined other healthcare workers outside Edmonton General Continuing Care Centre and called on the province for better wages and working conditions.“We have not accounted for the increased population growth. Our emergencies are full and overflowing. Our bed spaces are not enough to deal with those who need to remain in the hospital for care,” she said.Events were also held in Calgary, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Olds, Banff, Bonnyville, Red Deer, St. Albert, Slave Lake and Two Hills.
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In Calgary, nurses raised concerns over the restructuring of Alberta Health Services and a staffing shortage.“Nurses are being asked to do more and more with less and less, and they want to stand up and demand respect,” UNA second vice-president Karen Kuprys told Global News. “Nurses are facing a severe staffing shortage. A staffing crisis actually. We’re seeing many facilities that are having to have temporary closures. Those closures are getting longer and longer.”
The “Day of Action” rallies coincided with the anniversary of a historic strike action that started Jan. 25, 1988, when UNA nurses walked off the job. The illegal strike lasted 19 days.“It was illegal to take a strike vote. It was illegal to go on strike. But it was an indication of just how passionate and angry nurses were,” UNA president Heather Smith said.Smith said the conditions experienced now are similar to what her members encountered in 1988.The Alberta government says it will not comment at this time as the matter is between Alberta Health Services (AHS) and the union.In a statement, a spokesperson for the health provider said “AHS is committed to the bargaining process and values its dedicated employees who deliver high-quality patient care. We have no further comment at this time.”
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