Safe Staffing Language Now Applicable to All Nurses
The safe staffing language from the previous Nurses' Bargaining Association (NBA) contract has been consolidated into a new article titled Direct Patient Care Staffing, found in the 2019-2022 NBA contract. In an effort to modernize and streamline the contract for both members and the Employer, Appendices OO, PP, QQ, SS, and TT found in the 2014-2019 NBA agreement are now part of a single article.
Staffing requirements continue to be determined by patient care needs and staff scope and skill mix. The Union and the Employer are currently undertaking a review of baseline staffing needs to assist in determining the correct staffing levels and skill mix for units, departments and programs. This includes the delivery of care in the community-based care sector, as it depends on patient/client needs assessments and whether or not service levels are reduced.
In the meantime, the Employer is still required to use all reasonable efforts to replace all nurses on short-term and long-term absences (as defined in the article language) and to provide workload when necessary.
When should I file a staffing-related grievance?
When the Employer fails to:
- replace absences of any kind, including all long-term leaves such as vacation, sick leave, Union leave, maternity/paternity leave and long-term disability
- call in staff for a shift
- provide workload as per a patient care needs assessment
The Employer must:
- use regular relief lines
- reassign staff where appropriate
- call in casual staff
- call in regular part time staff
- call in staff on overtime
Members should see a steward for help filing grievances under Direct Patient Care Staffing.
The parties have also agreed to implement a working short premium, which will take effect on April 1, 2020 (see Article 28.04)