The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNUNL) is calling for urgent action and accountability in the wake of the Auditor General’s (AG) report, which confirmed the union’s long-standing concerns about massive overspending and poor oversight in private nursing agency contracts.
While NL Health Services (NLHS) poured more than a quarter of a billion dollars into private agencies – paying up to four times the salary of experienced RNs – public nurses were denied benefits, pushed into arbitration over overtime, and treated as an afterthought. The Premier, who once served as both Minister of Health and Attorney General, has remained absent and silent, even as the AG pointed to potential criminality and conflict of interest.
“The Premier’s silence in the face of confirmed mismanagement and potential misconduct undermines the trust nurses and the public place in elected leadership,” said Yvette Coffey, President of RNUNL. “He was Minister of Health. He was Attorney General. His government signed the cheques, and now he doesn’t want to answer for it.”
According to the Auditor General’s report, agency nurses were flown into communities with perks including fruit baskets and limousine rides, while local RNs and NPs who’ve held the system together through crisis after crisis were denied basic leave and forced to fight for fair pay. Many have walked away from the profession entirely, burned out and disillusioned.
“We’ve had nurses denied vacation, overtime, and professional development – nickel-and-dimed over every cent – while agency nurses enjoyed inflated wages and special treatment,” Coffey said. “Despite their unwavering commitment to this province, RNs and NPs have been sidelined, while public funds have flowed freely to private interests.”
This lack of leadership and accountability has led to ballooning costs, crumbling morale, and no measurable improvement in care. Trust in decision-makers has been broken. Confidence in the system has been shaken.
RNUNL is now demanding real answers, real accountability, and real respect for nurses. We are not looking for words. It’s time for action.
“We are calling on this government to do the hard work of restoring trust,” Coffey said. “That means full accountability, respect for the public healthcare workforce, and finally delivering on the promises they’ve made.”
RNUNL Calls on Government to:
- Launch a full, public investigation into the Auditor General’s findings, with clear consequences for wrongdoing.
- Stop nickel-and-diming public nurses. Respect them with fair wages, benefits, and safe working conditions.
- Complete the Job Evaluation System (JES) for Nurse Practitioners and pay them what they’re worth.
- Create a permanent funding model for Nurse Practitioners so they can provide Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with access to healthcare.
- Establish the long-promised independent health sector safety council.
- Hire graduating nurses into full-time, permanent roles using funds currently wasted on private contracts.
- Be prepared to negotiate in good faith in the next round of collective bargaining. That starts by demonstrating leadership, transparency, and accountability now.
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians deserve better. They deserve a public healthcare system that invests in its people and in the frontlines who keep it running – not one that enriches private companies at the expense of public care.
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About the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNU) represents more than 5,800 registered nurses and nurse practitioners working in acute care, long-term care, community, education, and research. RNU is dedicated to advocating for quality public healthcare and ensuring that RNs and NPs are recognized and supported in delivering expert, evidence-based care to the people of this province.
For more information, please contact:
Jonathan Hamel
Director of Communications
Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador
Phone: (709) 691-6890
Email: jhamel@rnunl.ca