The Manitoba government held a press conference today to announce additional incentives for nurses holding positions with Central Table employers.

There are a number of new elements and/or improvements of compensation for nurses and, worthy of noting, these are over and above all other premiums and compensation currently in existence in the collective agreement, or other collective agreements, between the parties.

Nurses receive ALL incentives for which they meet the criteria (i.e. they are “stackable”). If nurses hold more than one Central Table position, they get the incentive for each position separately if each separate position qualified for the incentive.

Here is a summary of the monetary premiums/incentives:

Weekend Super Premium:

  • Additional $8/hour for all hours worked on weekend.
  • Applies to all hours where weekend premium is paid as per the collective agreement, but also includes any Friday evening shift where evening shift premium is paid.
  • Commences first evening shift as of November 18th 2022
  • Runs until ratification of next collective agreement

Recruitment/Retention Incentive

  • $10,000 paid over two years. 24 month Return of Service Agreement (ROSA) required.
  • $5,000 paid after 1st six months, $5,000 more after 18 months for 1.0 EFT.
  • Minimum 0.7 EFT required to qualify, but amount reduced (prorated) – example 0.7 x $10,000 = $7,000 over two years
  • Only for those nurses who meet the above plus one or more of the following criteria are eligible a) nurse who returns from retirement or resignation not holding any position with a Central Table employer; or b) holds or increases to a 0.7 or higher EFT with a Central Table employer, and is eligible to retire without early retirement penalty as of Dec 1st 2022 up until December 1st 2023.
  • Not dependent on nature of shift (i.e. all shifts that meet the 0.7 EFT minimum or greater qualify).

Full Time Incentive

  • $10,000 per year, runs for two years, commencing January 1st 2023
  • Must hold or move into a 1.0 EFT
  • Must hold or move into a position that as part of the Master Rotation works any of; days/evening, days/nights, straight evenings, or straight nights.
  • Must hold a 1.0 EFT on December 31st of 2023 and December 31st 2024 of each year to qualify (*exception – unless in a term that ends prior to December 31st then prorated for portion of year worked in full time term position)

Full Time Weekend Worker

  • Employers to create full-time position with three (3) x twelve (12) hours shifts working straight weekends. Annual hour base of 1872.
  • This will be considered a full-time position and be paid the same annual salary as nurses working 2015 annual hours
  • Will receive the 15% weekend worker premium as per the collective agreement
  •  Will be eligible for all other incentives in this agreement for which the nurse may qualify (weekend super premium, full-time incentive, recruitment/retention incentive)

Wellness Incentive

  • One-time increase for each nurse’s Health Spending Account by an additional $500 for full-time, $250 for part-time nurses
  • Effective January 1, 2023

Licensure Reimbursement

  • Reimburse nurses who are on the payroll as of December 1, 2022, and December 1st 2023 for the cost of their 2023and 2024 nursing license
  • The nurse must submit proof of payment of licensure to the Employer in order to receive the reimbursement

Travel Nurse Hourly Rate Increase

  • Allowance in MOA #47 (Travel Locum Nurse) of the Collective Agreement will be increased to $10/hour flat rate from $6/hour, for those working in remote/northern sites.
  • Effective the first shift worked by a Travel Nurse.

“Refer a Nurse” program

  • $1,000 for a nurse or someone who refers another nurse who commences employment with a Central Table employer
  • Referred nurse cannot be currently employed with a Central Table employer or a new grad nurse
  • Cannot self-refer
  • $500 payable on commencement of nurse employment, $500 more upon referred nurse completion of one year service

Reinstatement of retro pay for retired/resigned nurses that missed the 90-day deadline (as per Article 3808) for this round of bargaining

  • Nurse who missed 90-day deadline with Central Table employer and therefore did not receive retro
  • Will receive if they return to a minimum 0.4 EFT for a minimum six-month period (ROSA required).

Reconnection of Seniority

Reinstate Seniority and Service (Central Table Employer positions only)

  • Nurse resigned or retired outright or resigned or retired from a previous Central Table full or part time position and moved to a casual position on or after December 1st 2020 and accepts a minimum 0.7 EFT position
  • Resume employment or move from retirement or casual from retirement to at minimum a 0.4 EFT (nurse must be retired or moved to a casual position post retirement). The provisions under the 0.4 EFT do not currently apply to nurses who have resigned rather than retired
  • Seniority will be reconnected for the purposes of salary increment where applicable and vacation accrual, as if they maintained continuous employment
  • Seniority will be permitted for order of vacation booking if agree to return for a two-year commitment, not if returning for a lesser duration
  • If already received pre-retirement leave/pay, clock restarts (minimum 10-year service), if not paid out previously then service reconnected for pre-retirement eligibility
  • Cannot connect seniority from one previous position to more than one new position.

 

If you have any questions, please contact your Labour Relations Officer.

For those who would like to watch the press conference, please visit this link.