This story has been updated from an earlier version.

When union leader Nadine Lambert resurfaces as an intensive-care nurse, she believes the proposed new deal on working conditions will result in major improvements for herself and 108,000 workers in Quebec's health and social services sector.

Lambert, president of the nurses' union affiliated with the Confederation des syndicats nationaux, set aside her day job at Ste. Justine's Hospital to negotiate the non-monetary clauses of the tentative agreement reached Thursday.

Once approval is obtained, it will affect 108,000 technicians, support employees and 5,000 nurses in a range of institutions, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, group homes and rehabilitation centres.

The deal will not eliminate one of the nurses' biggest beefs -compulsory overtime.

But Lambert says the agreement to pay a shift differential to nurses in such stressful wards as emergency, neonatal, serious burns, and cardiac and to boost differentials for evening and overnight shifts recognizes the added workload it entails.

The amounts aren't huge: A top-rated nurse like Lambert, whose hourly wage is $31.89, already receives a $3.49-premium per shift for work in intensive care at Ste. Justine's. It would rise to $22.12.

Nothing revolutionary here, Lambert agreed, but it is the first hike in that premium in 25 years, she noted, and it is being extended to other stressful units. A fund of $5 million would be created to attract and keep nurses and health-care workers in the Far North, with another $5 million for reorganizing work to reduce hiring of outside staff and overtime.

"If you just look at the differential, it is certainly not enough to compensate for the added pressure.

"But you have to look at the other gains -extending for the first time differentials in other wards and increasing the evening premiums (from four per cent to six per cent) and overtime premiums (from 14 to 15 per cent), for the first time in 25 years."

"The money will mean that employees will feel their work is better recognized," she observed.

Equally important is a $5-million fund to help reorganized work schedules and allow alternate work arrangements for nurses and other staff.

"A nurse could decided to work 12-hour shifts and reduce her work week. A new two-per-cent premium will be offered for nurses for the hours she trains students and new hires.

The union expects these premiums will help attract and retain more staff.

The expectation is that these measures will help reduce hiring of agency nurses and compulsory overtime, she said.

The use of agency nurses creates some tension in hospital wards, she said, because they are usually better paid, are not subject to compulsory overtime, and normally not assigned to the "heavy cases."

Another $8 million a year would be dedicated to attracting and retaining staff to deal with aggressive behaviour in youth centres and centres for educating the intellectually challenged.

Due to incorrect information supplied to The Gazette, the proposed premium for top-rated nurses who work in intensive care and other high-stress units was given as $3.83 per shift. The correct amount is $22.12. (The correct amount has been updated and posted in this version of the story.) The Gazette regrets the error.

iblock@thegazette.canwest.com