Negotiations for new nurses contract to start: Forward

The president of theNewfoundland and LabradorNurses' Union is applauding a decision by the government to begin negotiating a new contract months ahead of schedule.

Union president Debbie Forward announced Tuesday negotiations would begin four months earlier than expected, whichshe said indicates the government is sending a strong, positive message to overworked and underpaid nurses.

"I think nurses need that message. They are struggling right now with what is happening in the system," she said.

The current agreement expires at the end of next June.

Forward says wages will be an important aspect of the negotiations. Nurses in Newfoundland and Labrador currently earn between $45,000 and $82,000 a year.

The union says those are the lowest wages in the country, $8 an hour less than nurses in Ontario.

"Being the lowest in the country, we have nowhere to go but up and we intend to do that. And we don't intend to be lowest in the country when we finish this round," she said.

Six weeks have been set aside for bargaining beginning Jan. 15.