MEDIA RELEASE
Canada’s nurses join Alberta health unions in call for urgent federal support
September 21, 2021 (OTTAWA, ON) – The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions is expressing its support for Alberta’s health care unions as they seek urgent federal assistance for the province’s overwhelmed hospitals.
Alberta’s hospitals are straining under a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, prompting the leaders of Alberta’s largest health care unions to urge Premier Jason Kenney to request emergency federal support over the weekend.
“Canada’s nurses stand with Alberta’s health care workers and demand Premier Kenney take action to support hospitals now, before they completely collapse under the weight of a fourth wave left unchecked by his government,” said Linda Silas, president of the CFNU.
On the heels of federal Election Day, the CFNU has written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to request an urgent meeting with health care leaders to discuss the critical shortage of health workers in Alberta and across the country.
“The devastation we are witnessing in Alberta’s health care system will be reproduced right across the country if Prime Minister Trudeau does not take urgent action to deal with the health staffing crisis,” said Silas.
On September 18, the leaders of the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA), the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Alberta sent a joint letter to Premier Kenney, asking him to formally request help from the federal government.
“To avoid a complete collapse, all levels of government must work together to support health workers now, and invest in health staffing for the future,” said Silas. “The price of continued inaction on the critical health worker shortage is simply unthinkable.”
For more information, please contact:
Lauren Snowball, lsnowball@nursesunions.ca, 613-868-5702