The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNU) today released the responses of Newfoundland and Labrador’s major political parties to its 2025 election questionnaire. The questions, sent at the start of the campaign, asked for clear commitments on the issues that matter most to registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and the patients they care for.
The questionnaire covered 13 key areas, including:
- Safe hours of work
- Nurse-patient ratios
- Hiring nursing graduates into permanent positions
- Phasing out costly agency nurse contracts
- Paid clinical placements for nursing students
“Nurses and nurse practitioners are working in some of the most difficult conditions we’ve ever seen,” said Yvette Coffey, President of RNU. “They are exhausted, they are frustrated, and they are angry. This election is a chance for parties to show nurses that they are listening and that they have a plan to fix a system that is on the brink.”
All three major parties responded:
- The NDP committed to legislating safe hours of work and safe nurse-patient ratios, hiring all new nursing graduates into permanent positions, and phasing out agency nurse reliance within two years.
- The Progressive Conservatives emphasized urgency, promising immediate paid clinical placements, permanent job offers for nursing students, and the creation of a province-wide travel nurse team.
- The Liberals pointed to progress under their government, including reductions in vacancies, a new NP funding pilot, and the recent $110 million collective agreement, but offered fewer new commitments in response to RNU’s specific asks.
“We are looking for a government that will be a true partner – one that will not just listen to nurses, but act with urgency to fix the crisis,” Coffey said. “Words alone won’t keep emergency rooms open or make workloads safe. Action will.”
“And this isn’t just about nurses. It’s about every patient in this province who deserves timely, safe care,” she added. “If government fails to meet the needs of nurses, it is patients who pay the price.”
RNU has published the full, unedited responses from all parties on its website at https://rnunl.ca/advocacy/election-2025/. Members of the public are encouraged to review the answers and use them to help inform their decision on election day.
-30-
About the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador
The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNU) represents over 5,800 registered nurses and nurse practitioners working in acute care, long-term care, community, education, and research. The Union advocates for its members and the public healthcare system to improve access, quality, and sustainability of care in Newfoundland and Labrador.
For more information, please contact:
Jonathan Hamel
Director of Communications
Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador
Phone: (709) 691-6890
Email: jhamel@rnunl.ca