Contractless unions demand their voices be heard ahead of P.E.I. vote

Only one week remains until the provincial election in P.E.I., and some unions on the Island are working to make sure their voices are heard before final ballots are cast.

The P.E.I. Nurses' Union gathered outside the Confederation Centre Monday night as the CBC P.E.I. leaders' debate was taking place, to air concerns concerning the health-care system.

"We just want to make sure that the politicians and candidates are all aware of what's going on," said Barbara Brookins, president of the nurses' union.

Just a few hours earlier, CUPE 3260, the union representing the Island's education support workers, issued a release saying the education system "should not be forgotten" this election. 

Both unions are currently negotiating their contracts. 

CUPE 3260, which represents 800 education support workers in P.E.I., has been without a collective agreement for the last two years. The union said it's looking for higher wages and better contract language to address issues with recruitment and retention in the education sector.

They're just disheartened because they don't feel that anyone's listening, and if they're listening, they're not acting fast enough."​​​​​​- Barbara Brookins, president of the P.E.I. Nurses' Union.

It said internal polling shows over half of its members need a second job to meet their basic needs. 

"We should have had a new contract by now, but instead, the education minister has let the situation fester because apparently, they don't believe in wages that go above inflation for front-line workers," president Carolyn Vandaele said in the release.

"When inflation is this high and our paycheques are going behind, the government should not be nickel-and-diming the people making inclusive education possible on P.E.I."

'They don't feel that anyone's listening'

Meanwhile, the nurses' union said their contract needs to be settled ahead of the summer amid critical staffing shortages. 

They also haven't had a contract for two years. Earlier this month, the union said they were disappointed they had to be further delayed because of the election.

"Our system can't hold it. We don't have any nurses right now. We're missing 25 per cent of our nurses," Brookins said.

"It's having huge impact on patient care, but also on the health of our members. Our nurses are getting tired, they're getting burned out. They're just disheartened because they don't feel that anyone's listening, and if they're listening, they're not acting fast enough."

Brookins said the system needs to offer competitive wages to recruit more nurses. The union is also looking for more incentives for nurses who stay in the system. 

Last fall, the government negotiated an $8-million retention incentive program for nurses and other health workers. But Brookins said most of the bonuses have yet to be implemented, and that more needs to be done.

Parties call for timely negotiations

Politicians with the Island's major parties said they're disappointed with the contract delays.

"They're the people that leave their families every day, they go into our school system, they go into our hospital settings, they go into clinics. We need those people. We need them to know that they're valued and respected," said Liberal Leader Sharon Cameron.

"It actually boggles the mind that the government — knowing that they were going into an election — would not have settled this contract," said Joe Byrne, NDP candidate in District 12. 

"This is going to be a primary issue, where is the contract and why it isn't settled. The minister has to be called to task on this, because this should not have gotten this far."

Progressive Conservative Leader Dennis King said previously he respected the bargaining process and that his government would be willing to pay nurses more.

Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker has said the delay caused by the election in the nurses' contract is "completely unacceptable" and that they deserve a fair agreement that reflects the important role they play on the health-care system.

The nurses' union represents over 1,300 registered nurses and nurse practitioners in P.E.I.