Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 25/02) - Many employees at Stanton Regional Hospital are not happy, according to support staff.

Physiotherapists, lab and X-ray technicians, for example, say they've been cheated out of recruiting and retention bonuses offered to other employees.

"The morale at Stanton is not as wonderful as they say," explained a support worker who does not want to be named.

The employee said if it was not for family they would leave for a warmer climate and better pay. "I get letters at least once a month to recruit me elsewhere."

The bitterness stems from recruiting and retention bonuses offered to nurses and doctors for the last three years.

When the bonuses became an issue in 1999 the Union of Northern Workers, representing nurses and support staff, took notice since the move was not part of its collective agreement.

Roxanna Baisi, the union's director of membership services, said the UNW received many phone calls, e-mails and written letters of complaint.

"We were aware that this would be a problem," she said. "We had to look at both sides of it and basically if we did not sign it off the registered nurses would be out."

Deputy health minister Mark Cleveland said the issue is a collective bargaining one.

When asked if further discussion would take place between the government and the union, Baisi replied that she would say nothing further than, "we do have bargaining coming up."

In order to get the bonuses in place for registered nurses and doctors the GNWT was required to demonstrate a series of factors related to recruiting and retaining staff in the territory.

The government is bound by human rights legislation that dictates equal pay for equal services.

Cleveland did say that he has been told there is a difficulty in recruiting support workers as well as other medical staff.

Recruitment bonuses were handed out in 2000 with a $3,000 signing bonus, and $5,000 in 2001. Retention bonuses have been in effect for three years since 1999. Those ranged from $1,500 to $8,000 depending on years of service.

"I am tired of nurses saying it is so great at Stanton," the anonymous worker added. "No, it's not. It's terrible."