N.W.T. gov't offered nurses a bonus, union says offer didn't go far enough

Northwest Territories ministers say they wanted to give registered nurses and medical lab technologists bonuses during the pandemic, but that the union representing those health care workers turned down their offer.

In the legislature on Tuesday, Health and Social Services Minister Julie Green said the Financial Management Board, which is made up of cabinet ministers, approved a wage supplement for registered nurses and lab technologists under its Labour Market Supplement policy. 

The new policy enables the government to temporarily boost the pay for certain jobs outside of the collective agreement. It says the pay bump should be used only if vacancies present a health or safety risk, or legal risk to the government, and only as a last resort for hiring and holding onto workers.

"Our intention was to provide recognition of existing staff within the system, and to demonstrate the value of their continued retention, while also encouraging new staff to work for us," said Green of the proposed bonuses.

It's unclear how much the government was offering. 

The policy states that the government must negotiate the wage supplement with the appropriate union.

In this case, said Green, the government and the Union of Northern Workers (UNW) didn't come to an agreement.

"While I'm disappointed, I want the public and health care workers to know that we will continue to engage with the UNW on other ways to support the recruitment and retention of health care professionals," said Green.

'Concerns about staff morale'

The pandemic exacerbated a nationwide shortage of health care workers. In the N.W.T., the shortage was so severe that, according to the government, it forced the territory's largest hospital to reduce intensive care capacity in the summer of 2021, and later suspend birthing services for more than two months.

On top of this, nurses in the territory have expressed frustration over what they say has been inadequate compensation for the sacrifices they've made during COVID-19.

On Tuesday Green acknowledged "concerns about staff morale" in the health system. 

She said salaries for registered nurses in the territory aren't as competitive as they once were, and unlike other jurisdictions in Canada, the N.W.T. doesn't offer registered nurses a recruitment bonus. 

'A slap in the face'

The union declined CBC's request for an interview on Tuesday, but released a statement saying the government's "take-it-or-leave-it" offer included only a small portion of registered nurses and lab workers. 

"The employer's offer was a slap in the face to all our other UNW nurses and healthcare specialists who are working under the same pressures and staff shortages," said UNW president Gayla Thunstrom.

She said the Labour Market Supplement policy allows the union to negotiate, and that the UNW asked for more information and more discussion about which health care positions should be included in the offer.

"The employer declined to discuss further and withdrew the Labour Market Supplement offer completely," said Thunstrom.

Running a 'lean operation'

During question period Tuesday, an incredulous Rylund Johnson, MLA for Yellowknife North, asked Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek to clarify why the union turned down the government's offer.

Wawzonek wouldn't speak for the union, but said that any bonuses offered during the pandemic were made while the government attempted to run "a lean operation," so as to avoid cuts in other areas.

"There's only so much we can do, and it's going to have to be narrow and targeted, and that was the position we were attempting to take here," with the bonuses that were offered, she said.

A Finance Department spokesperson said Tuesday evening that the government's offer applied to certain "occupational groups," and that they were "willing to look at expanding this supplement to other occupational groups in the future." 

The government says it's looking at other ways to recruit and retain more staff, and improve morale.