May 20th, 2025
Dear PEINU Members,
As summer approaches, I hope you find time to unwind and reconnect with what brings you joy —whether it’s gathering with family, traveling, taking long walks on the beach, or simply relaxing on the deck with a great book. You’ve earned the time to recharge.
Earlier this month, we celebrated Nurses Week, and I hope you felt the appreciation and recognition you so deeply deserve. Thank you to everyone who participated in our Facebook event—we loved seeing your engagement and celebrating with you!
This spring, we also came together for the 38th Annual General Meeting of the PEI Nurses’ Union—a powerful reminder of the solidarity and determination that fuels our work. Members took part in union training sessions focused on grievances, accommodation, and the essential role of union leadership. We were also joined by STIFF, the marketing firm helping us shape our new strategic plan. Their work will guide the direction of PEINU, and they’ll be reaching out to members directly—because your voice and priorities must drive our goals.
This year, we’ve also updated our website to better reflect the information you’re looking for. We’ve launched a dedicated page for bargaining updates: https://peinu.com/2025-negotiations/. We’ve secured bargaining dates in June and July, and your negotiating team is already hard at work preparing. We’re committed to providing updates throughout the process.
The challenges nurses face remains urgent. Vacancy rates have reached 25% for RNs and 40% for NPs. Inflexible scheduling and the widespread denial of earned vacation and leave have forced some members to reduce their position guarantees in order to regain control and protect their well-being. While temporary incentives negotiated in past MOAs have helped stabilize units, they are not long-term solutions.
That’s why our focus moving into bargaining is clear: invest in nurses. Reinvest the millions currently spent on for-profit agency contracts back into our public system—into retention initiatives, better scheduling tools, paid mentorship and training, and respect for the knowledge and continuity our members provide.
Nurse Practitioners continue to expand their roles across the system, often without matching compensation or recognition. We are committed to addressing those inequities and ensuring NPs are valued as key contributors to the health of Islanders.
We’re also making progress on long-standing structural issues. Through the Joint Consultation Working Group, we’ve advanced reclassification for RNs, hosted town halls, and refined a new job framework to modernize titles and responsibilities, ensuring more transparency and fairness.
Internally, we’re strengthening our union for the future. With support from external consultants, we are working toward a more sustainable and responsive organizational model—one that empowers leadership, increases member engagement, and truly reflects the voice of nurses across PEI.
Looking ahead to the summer months, I encourage you to take the time you need to rest and recharge. Your work makes a difference every single day, and your voice remains essential in shaping a stronger future for nursing in PEI. Together, we’ll continue to fight for the staffing, support, and respect that every nurse in this province deserves.
Respectfully,
Barbara Brookins
President