Liberal Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones says that the provincial government needs to demonstrate some flexibility to settle the labour dispute with nurses in an effort to stabilize the health care system in this province.

Jones was responding to the latest offer from the Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses’ Union (NLNU) which advances a 16 percent raise over two years, down from their previous offer of a 24 percent pay increase.

“It is evident that nurses are being flexible and have taken a new direction in their proposal to government, yet government refuses to respond with the same measure of flexibility, ” says Jones. “Instead, they have outright refused the conditions outlined by the nurses even before negotiations have commenced.”

The Liberal Leader feels that the proposed two year contract by the nurses is one that government should seriously consider, especially given today’s unpredictable fiscal environment.  “I think it would be fiscally smart to limit the agreement to a two year term so that a renewed agreement would better reflect government’s future fiscal capacity.   The only reason I can determine for government not accepting this shorter term agreement is that it would not fit in with their political calendar, as it would see nurses looking to renew their contract during an election year.”

Jones believes that with the nurses’ new offer, government certainly has the fiscal capacity to achieve a fair collective agreement for nurses and sidestep further health care woes.

“The bottom line is that an agreement has to be achieved to avoid a strike that will strongly impact our already troubled health care system.  An olive branch has been extended and now it is time that government  reciprocate with a  goodwill gesture and show the same flexibility the premier demands be shown to our province from the federal government.“