Kennedy questions rank-and-file nurses' commitment to strike

A nursing strike at Newfoundland and Labrador's hospitals and nursing homes appears inevitable, says Finance Minister Jerome Kennedy, who also questions whether unionized nurses are truly prepared for job action.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses' Union announced Saturday that 63 per cent of members who cast ballots rejected a final government offer.

"I cannot see at this stage how a strike can be avoided," said Kennedy, who also drew attention to the result of the NLNU vote.

"I would hardly describe it as overwhelming," he said.

While money issues appear to have been settled, the union will not accept government demands that would allow it to pay nurses higher salaries in hard-to-recruit jobs than what colleagues doing the same work earn. As well, the union is fighting against a government demand that nurses positions would be declared vacant two years after the workers are declared permanently disabled.

The union says the provisions undermine the spirit of collective bargaining.

"[The vote] certainly sends a clear message to government that nurses aren't prepared to accept a collective agreement that goes against their right to collective bargain and disrespects their disabled colleagues," union president Debbie Forward told CBC News.

Union wants binding arbitration, Kennedy says no

Kennedy said the results released this weekend change nothing in the long-running dispute between government and the union.

"At this stage, we're preparing for a four-week strike. The health-care boards are looking at a strike that could last four weeks or more," said Kennedy, echoing comments Premier Danny Williams made last week in the legislature.

The last nurses strike, in 1999, lasted nine days before strikers were legislated back to work.

Kennedy said the government is leaving that option open, although he played it down.

"We are not even going to discuss the issue of back-to-work legislation at this point. The nurses union could go on strike and then determine to return to work themselves."

The union, which represents more than 5,000 workers, could be in a strike position by May 18.

Forward said a strike could be avoided if government would agree to binding arbitration, a move, she said, that carries risks for both sides.

Kennedy all but brushed the suggestion aside.

"We've indicated unequivocally that this is a final offer, from our perspective, and that there will not binding arbitration," Kennedy said.